sed.

But Griggs was positive.

"No," he said, "we can't have over-run them."

"But have they turned off somewhere? I don't remember any side valley,
but we may have passed one."

"No, we mayn't, sir," said Griggs coolly. "We don't know it--at least,
I don't suppose you did, for I fancy I do--but if the mules had turned
off anywhere our clever mustangs would have done the same. They've been
following the mules' trail ever since we started."

"What! Impossible in this darkness."

"Think so, sir? Well, suppose you wait and see."

There was silence for awhile, before the doctor rode to the front again
to where Chris was now beside Griggs.

"We have heard nothing of the enemy," he said.

"No, sir. I've listened till it has given me a feeling like toothache."

"Do you think they are on our trail?"

"Ah, there I can't say anything, sir, only that they may be. But if
they are, they're coming on at a regular crawl; I am sure of that."

"How can you be sure?" said the doctor wonderingly.

"Because they'll be, as Indians mostly are when they can't see their
quarry, horribly suspicious of being led into an ambush."

"They did not seem so when they followed you."

"No; they could see me, and they forgot to be in doubt in the heat of
the pursuit. But on a night like this, and after the way in which we
have shot them down, they are bound to feel their way step by step if
they follow at all. Most likely they'll wait till morning, when they'll
pick up our trail."

"And then?"

"Come on as fast as they can run, sir. They won't ride."

Griggs finished off with a loud chuckle. "Say, Chris," he added, "won't
they be mad at not being able to get out their ponies!"

"I suppose so," said Chris.

"But there's a good side to everything. It'll be grand for the poor
beasts. They're ridden nearly to death; now they'll have a good rest
with plenty of fine pasture."

"But about to-morrow, Griggs?" said Chris.

"What about to-morrow?"

"The Indians may follow us and overtake us on foot."

"Well, if they do, they do, my lad, and at the very worst they may
capture some of our stores. But perhaps not. I don't like being a
brute to a dumb beast, but if I'm driven to it I may have to be a bit
hard to some of those mules. They can go so fast that no Indian can
catch them--if they like."

"Yes?"

"Well, as a rule they don't like."

"That's the worst of it," said Chris.

"Yes, but this time they've got to