The owner following came upon the hide, and
Musquash, seeing it was too late to remove the brand from it, expressed
his contrition, and pleaded in extenuation that he was rather worthy of
sympathy than blame, because he would never have laid hands on what was
not his had not a white man sold him deleterious liquor. As no white
man is allowed to supply an Indian with alcohol in any form, the
wardens of the prairie took a somewhat similar view of the case, and
Stimson was, from motives which he did not mention, especially anxious
to get his grip upon the other offender.

The night when they rode out was very dark, and they spent half of it
beneath a birch bluff, seeing nothing whatever, and only hearing a
coyote howl. It almost appeared there was something wrong with the
information supplied them respecting the probable running of another
load of prohibited whisky, and towards morning Stimson rode up to the
young commissioned officer.

"The man who brought us word has either played their usual trick and
sent us here while his friends take the other trail, or somebody saw us
ride out and went south to tell the boys," he said. "Now, you might
consider it advisable that I and one of the troopers should head for
the ford at Willow Hollow, sir."

"Yes," said the young officer, who was quite aware that there were as
yet many things connected with his duties he did not know. "Now I come
to think of it, Sergeant, I do. We'll give you two hours, and then, if
you don't turn up, ride over after you; it's condemnably shivery
waiting for nothing here."

Stimson saluted and shook his bridle, and rather less than an hour
later faintly discerned a rattle of wheels that rose from a long way
off across the prairie. Then he used the spur, and by and by it became
evident that the drumming of their horses' feet had carried far, for,
though the rattle grew a little louder, there was no doubt that whoever
drove the wagon had no desire to be overtaken. Still, two horses
cannot haul a vehicle over a rutted trail as fast as one can carry a
man, and when the wardens of the prairie raced towards the black wall
of birches that rose higher in front of them, the sound of wheels
seemed very near. It, however, ceased suddenly, and was followed by a
drumming that could only have been made by a galloping horse.

"One beast!" said the Sergeant. "Well, they'd have two men, any way,
in that wagon. Get down and picket. We'll find the other fel