dark for us, younger brother, that
we need your torch held for our feet!"

Travis swallowed back any retort, accepting the fairness of that rebuke.
He had no right to believe that he alone knew the best way of handling
the enemy. Biting on the sourness of that realization, he lay quietly
with the others, watching the riders enter the foothills perhaps a
quarter of a mile to the west.

The helicopter was circling now over the men riding into a cut between
two rises. When they were lost to view, the pilot made wider casts, and
Travis thought the flyer's crew were probably in communication with the
helmeted one of the quintet on the ground.

He stirred. "They are heading for the Tatar camp, just as if they know
exactly where it is--"

"That also may be true," Nolan replied. "What do we know of these
Tatars? They have freely said that the Reds can hold them in mind ropes
when they wish. Already they may be so bound. I say--let us go back to
our own country." He added to the decisiveness of that by handing
Jil-Lee the glasses and sliding down from their perch.

Travis looked at the other. In a way he could understand the wisdom of
Nolan's suggestion. But he was sure that withdrawal now would only
postpone trouble. Sooner or later the Apaches would have to stand
against the Reds, and if they could do it now while the enemy was
occupied with trouble from the Tatars, so much the better.

Jil-Lee was following Nolan. But something in Travis rebelled. He
watched the circling helicopter. If it was overhanging the action area
of the horsemen, they had either reined in or were searching a
relatively small section of the foothills.

Reluctantly Travis descended to the hollow where Jil-Lee stood with
Nolan. Tsoay and Lupe and Rope were a little to one side as if the final
orders would come from their seniors.

"It would be well," Jil-Lee said slowly, "if we saw what weapons they
have. I want a closer look at the equipment of that one in the helmet.
Also," he smiled straight at Nolan--"I do not think that they can detect
the presence of warriors of the People unless we will it so."

Nolan ran a finger along the curve of his bow, shot a measuring glance
right and left at the general contours of the country.

"There is wisdom in what you say, elder brother. Only this is a trail we
shall take alone, not allowing the men with fur hats to know where we
walk." He looked pointedly in Travis' direction.

"That is wisdom, _Ba'is'a_