a bear moving among the bushes
would make more noise than that. It must be some human being; perhaps
an Indian, who is watching an opportunity to shoot us down."

I kept completely in the shade, while I turned my eyes in the direction
from whence the sound came. I thus hoped, should there be an enemy
near, to get sight of him before he could discover me.

On arousing the lieutenant, I told him of the sounds I had heard.

"If there are Indians near, we had better at once go in search of them,"
he answered. "I have no fancy to be shot down, as you suppose it likely
we may be; and as it will not do to leave our horses, I propose that we
mount them, and try and push through the forest. The moonlight will
enable us to make our way without difficulty."

I should have preferred going on foot, but, of course, there was a risk,
as the lieutenant had observed, of our horses being carried off. I
therefore thought it wisest to agree to his proposal.

Our animals were quickly saddled, and we at once pushed into the forest.
After we had passed through the outer belt, the trees grew wide apart,
and as we soon came to several broad glades, we had no difficulty in
making our way.

We had gone some distance, when suddenly my horse gave a start, and I
caught sight of a figure, partly concealed by a tree, right ahead of me;
but as I saw neither bow nor rifle-barrel, I had no fear of encountering
an enemy.

"Who is there?" I asked. "Come forth and show yourself. We wish to be
friends, and will not harm you."

I rode on, and just then the moonbeams, shining amid the boughs, shed
their light on the figure of a young girl, whose countenance and costume
plainly showed that she was an Indian. After surveying my companion and
myself--apparently to ascertain who we were--she stepped forth from her
place of concealment, and advanced fearlessly towards us.

"How comes it that you are wandering in this forest by yourself?" I
asked.

"My friends are not far off," she answered; "and they are your friends
also. I am Maysotta, the daughter of Winnemak. Seeing the light of
your fire, I approached your camp, in order to ascertain who you were;
but as you concealed yourself, I was unable to do so. As I had promised
not to be long absent, I was returning to the camp of my people when you
overtook me. My father has directed us to come on here; while he has
gone back to the farm to warn your friends that the Arrapahas have once
more t