all nothing of the
kind that had taken place in that neighborhood; all of which might be
the case without affecting the present loss, since it was evident that
there must be a first theft of that nature.

But, somehow or other, Fred could not help suspecting that the red men
had to do with the disappearance of the animal. I have intimated in
another place that Greville had never been harmed by the Indians, who
were scattered here and there through the country, for there was no
comparison between them and the fierce Shawanoes, Wyandottes,
Pottawatomies and other tribes, whose deeds gave to Kentucky its
impressive title of the Dark and Bloody Ground; but among the different
bands of red men who roamed through the great wilderness west of the
Mississippi, were those who were capable of as atrocious cruelties as
were ever committed by the fierce warriors further east.

What more likely, therefore, than that a party of these had stolen the
cow and driven her away?

There were many facts that were in favor of and against the theory; the
chief one against it was that if a party of Indians had driven off one
cow, they would have taken more. Then, too, the soft earth that had
revealed the hoof tracks ought to have shown the imprint of moccasins.

You will see, therefore, that Fred could speculate for hours on the
question without satisfying himself. He was sorry that he and Terry had
not brought their guns with them, and was half inclined to go back. It
was not yet noon, and they had plenty of time in which to do so.

"Terry," said Fred, turning suddenly about and addressing his friend,
who was walking behind him, "we made a mistake in not bringing our
guns."

The Irish lad was about to answer when he raised his hand in a warning
way and said:

"Hist!"

Both stood as motionless as the tree trunks about them, all their
faculties centered in the one of hearing.

There was the low, deep roar which is always heard in a vast wood, made
by the soft wind stealing among the multitudinous branches, and which is
like the voice of silence itself. They were so far from the creek that
its soft ripple failed to reach them.

"I don't hear any thing," said Fred at the end of a full minute.

"Nor do I," said Terry.

"Why then did you ask me to listen?"

"I was thinkin' be that token that we might hear something."

"What made you think so?"

"The tinkle of a bell."

"What!" exclaimed the amazed Fred, "are you sure?"

"That