e matchless tracker, who was able, even in the moonlight, to note any
disturbance of the soil. Presently he uttered a little cry and pointed
ahead. Both saw the skeleton of a buffalo which evidently had been
killed not long and stripped of its meat. A little further on they saw
another and then two more.

"That tells it," said the Panther succinctly. "These buffaloes were
killed for food an' most likely by Mexicans. It was the shots that set
the herd to runnin'. The men who killed 'em are not far away, an' I'm
not a Ring Tailed Panther an' a Cheerful Talker if they don't belong to
Urrea's band."

"Isn't that a light?" said Ned, pointing to the west, "or is it a
firefly or something of the kind?"

A glowing spark was just visible over the plain, but as it neither moved
nor went out the three concluded that it was made by a distant fire.

"I think it's in chaparral or among trees," said Obed, "or we would see
it more plainly. It's a poor camp fire that hides its light under a
bushel."

"I think you're right an' it must be chaparral," said the Panther. "But
we'll ride toward it an' soon answer our own questions."

The light was more than a mile away and, as they advanced slowly, they
saw it grow in size and intensity. It was surely a campfire, but no
sound that they could yet hear came from it. They did not expect to hear
any. If it was indeed Urrea and his men they would probably be sleeping
soundly, not expecting any foe to be near. The Panther now dismounted,
and the other two did likewise.

"No need to show too high above the plain," he said, "an' if we have to
run it won't take a second to jump back on our horses."

Ned did not take the bridle of his horse as the others did. He knew that
Old Jack would follow as faithful as any dog to his master, and he was
right. As they advanced slowly the velvet nose more than once pressed
trustfully against his elbow.

They saw now that an extensive growth of chaparral rose before them,
from the center of which the light seemed to be shining. The Panther lay
down on the prairie, put his ear to the ground, and listened a long
time.

"I think I hear the feet of horses movin' now an' then," he said, "an'
if so, one of us had better stay behin' with ours. A horse of theirs
might neigh an' a horse of ours might answer. Yon can't tell. Obed, I
guess it'll be for you to stay. You've got a most soothin' disposition
with animals."

"All right," said Obed philosophically, "I'd