e they are unshod; besides, you see, instead of coming along in a
crowd, as a drove of turned loose horses would do, the marks are all
together, one after the other, as they came along in single file. There
is no doubt they are a party of Indians."

"They are ahead of us," Frank said.

"They were," Dick said, "but thar ain't no saying where they are now;
may be watching us."

The thought was not a comfortable one, and Frank grasped his rifle
tightly as he looked round.

"Just stay where you are," Dick said; "we are in a hollow, and I will
have a look round."

Dick made his way upon his hands and knees to the top of the brow,
choosing a spot where the shrubs grew thickest, and making his way with
such caution that Frank could scarcely keep him in sight. When he
reached the brow he raised his head and looked round in all directions
and then went on. It was nearly half an hour before he rejoined his
companion.

"They have gone straight ahead," he said. "I went over the brow, and
down the next hollow, and found their trail strong there, for the ground
is swampy; they had certainly passed within an hour of the time I got
there."

"How did you know that?" Frank asked.

"Because the water was still muddy where they had passed; it would have
settled again in an hour after being disturbed, so they could not have
been more than that time ahead. They were keeping just parallel with the
line of march of the caravan."

"How many of them do you think there were?"

"Between fifty and sixty," Dick said confidently.

"Perhaps they were merely journeying quietly along," Frank suggested.

"Not likely," Dick replied; "they must have seen these bufflars, and
would have been after them, almost to a sartinty, had they not had other
business on hand. No, I expect they were watching the caravan, and had
made up their minds to wait till nightfall, or perhaps till it came to
some place where they can get up close without being seen, and fall upon
it by surprise. We will ride back at once with the news, and put them on
their guard."

An hour's riding brought them to the caravan, where their news created a
great sensation. Hitherto the danger from Indians had appeared a remote
trouble, which might not, after all, befall them. The news that fifty or
sixty of these dreaded foes were marching along, almost within sight,
and might at any moment attack them, brought the danger close indeed.
The waggons were driven in even closer order;