, to tie the birds' legs together tightly so that a couple
of the fierce-looking fellows could hang them across their ponies'
necks.

This done, amidst a good deal of grinning and gabbling perfectly
incomprehensible to the listeners, the Indians mounted again and sat
gazing with shaded eyes across the grassy plain, till, apparently
satisfied of the direction their companions had taken, one of them
uttered a deep-toned _Hugh_! and rode off, followed by the rest.

"What an escape!" sighed the doctor, after waiting till the party was
well out of hearing. "It is marvellous that they did not see us."

"They had no eyes for that, sir," said Griggs. "They expected to find
turkey, and they were too much on the watch for the birds to be looking
for us. They had no suspicion of our being near."

"But the wretches have carried off our supplies," said Ned bitterly.

"Hallo! What's that?" said Chris, as a flapping noise was heard in the
grass.

He did not wait for an answer to his question, but forced his way
through the grass towards the spot whence the sound had come.

"Look out," he shouted, for there was a beating of wings, and a big bird
rose from close to his right-hand, passing out of his reach, but not to
escape, for the next moment there was a dull thud and a fall, for as it
passed over him Griggs had struck at it with his rifle-barrel, breaking
its wing.

The fall was followed by a repetition of the beating which had first
taken the boy's attention.

"I thought that wasn't the one I heard," he cried, and pushing forward
he literally threw himself upon another of the birds, lying in the thick
grass and frantically beating its wings with such violence that it
levelled the grass for some distance round.

"Take care," cried the doctor warningly; "they can strike very hard with
their wings."

"I've found that out," grumbled Chris bitterly, as he winced from a
couple of blows, but retaliated with such vigorous action by means of
the butt of his rifle that the beating ceased, the great bird's head
fell over, and the prize lay inert.

"Splendid!" cried Wilton and Bourne in a breath, as, hot and panting,
Chris dragged his capture to where his companions stood watching the
encounter.

"They did not take much pains about retrieving their game," said the
doctor.

"Sign that it's too plentiful for them to need it, sir," said Griggs,
laughing. "I say; they're not bad shots, to bring a lot like that down
flying.