ans," said the Panther. "We're on the
edge of the Indian country here."

But Obed considered it all the more likely that Urrea, if he meditated a
raid, would come from the west, since his approach at that point would
be suspected the least. The three held a brief discussion and soon came
to an agreement. They would continue their own ride west and look for
Urrea. Having decided so, they went into the task heart and soul,
despite its dangers.

The three rode side by side and three pairs of skilled eyes examined the
plain. The snow was left only in sheltered places or among the trees.
But the further they went the scarcer became the trees, and before night
they disappeared entirely.

"We are comin' upon the buffalo range," said the Panther. "A hundred
miles further west we'd be likely to strike big herds. When we're
through fightin' the Mexicans I'm goin' out there again. It's the life
fur me."

The night came, dark and cold, but fortunately without wind. They camped
in a dip and did not light any fire, lying as Ned had done the night
before on their horse blankets and wrapping themselves in their own. The
three horses seemed to be contented with one another and made no noise.

They deemed it wise now to keep a watch, as they might be near Urrea's
band or Lipans might pass, and the Panther, who said he was not sleepy
at all, became sentinel. Ned, although he had not risen until noon, was
sleepy again from the long ride, and his eyes closed soon. The last
object that he saw was the Panther standing on the crest of the swell
just beyond them, rifle on shoulder, watching the moonlit plains. Obed
White was asleep already.

The Panther walked back and forth a few times and then looked down at
his comrades in the dip. His trained eyes saw their chests rising and
falling, and he knew that they were far away in the land of Nowhere.
Then he extended his walk back and forth a little further, scanning
carefully the dusky plain.

A light wind sprang up after a while, and it brought a low but heavy and
measured tread to his ears. The Panther's first impulse was to awaken
his friends, because this might be the band of Urrea, but he hesitated a
moment, and then lay down with his ear to the earth. When he rose his
uneasiness had departed and he resumed his walk back and forth. He had
heard that tread before many times and, now that it was coming nearer,
he could not mistake it, but, as the measured beat indicated that it
would p