ot more than ten
feet from Woofer.

It was past midnight, as Ted could tell by the stars, for he was not
asleep, although feigning to be.

He lay facing the place where Woofer was circled up in his blankets,
when he saw the cow-puncher raise his head cautiously, not more than an
inch or two, and look around.

Ted closed his eyelids to a mere crack, for the light from the fire
shone on his face, and in that position watched Woofer's movements.

Woofer was very sly and cautious. Ted had observed that he had
ostentatiously pulled off his boots when he lay down. Now he could see
by the movements of the blankets that he was pulling them on again out
of sight.

"That fellow is going to get up in a minute," thought Ted, "and I think
I know just what he is going to do."

He had not long to wait, for presently Woofer crawled out of his
blankets on the far side, and began to wriggle away on his belly, like a
snake.

Ted still kept his eyes upon him.

Once Woofer stopped and looked back to see if his escape from camp had
been observed, or if any one was stirring.

Ted had not moved, and apparently was as sound asleep as ever.

Reassured that no one had seen him leave his blankets, Woofer proceeded
until he was without the radius of the camp fire's glow, when he rose to
an upright position.

But Ted could still follow him by the starlight.

Evidently believing himself safe, Woofer did not again look around, but
walked slowly and silently toward the tents, which were plainly to be
seen about fifty feet distant from the fire.

The tent in which the Indian girl was sleeping was farther from the fire
than that occupied by Mrs. Graham and her two charges.

Ted had slipped from his blankets at the moment when Woofer rose to his
feet, and was creeping along, close to the ground paralleling Woofer's
progress, but about twenty feet to the left.

Woofer arrived at the Indian girl's shelter and stopped, and seemed to
be listening.

This gave Ted time to creep nearer.

He saw the cow-puncher lift the flap of the tent and look within, still
listening carefully for anything that would tell him that Singing Bird
was awake.

Ted was not more than ten feet away when Woofer disappeared.

He had entered the tent.

Suddenly from within it there came a muffled cry, then the tent began to
pitch and toss. Evidently a savage struggle was going on within.

But it was all so silent that had Ted not been within striking distance