they oppressed their own race."

"Dot is vot I sometimes dinks of fader," was the unexpected remark of
Otto; "if he was only a colored man or Injin I would have more respect
for him; dot is so."

"Come on; we have started out to do something, and we can't gain
anything by staying here."

The brief halt had refreshed the boys, and they now moved forward with
their naturally vigorous and almost bounding steps. While they had much
curiosity, and a somewhat singular misgiving, yet they were in no
particular fear, for it was impossible to believe they were in any real
peril.

It was quite a tramp to reach the camp in which just then they felt so
much interest, and the sun was close to meridian when Jack, who was
slightly in advance, slackened his gait, and remarked in an undertone:

"It can't be far--halloo!"

While picking their way through the valley, they lost sight of the
wavering column of vapor, except once or twice when they were able to
catch a glimpse of it through the tree-tops. Jack's exclamation was
caused by another sight of the murky column, which, as he suspected,
proved to be little more than a hundred yards distant.

There was so much undergrowth that nothing of the fire itself could be
observed, though the smoke showed itself distinctly in the clear air
above.

"Vell, vot does we does now?" was the natural query of Otto, as he
placed himself beside his young friend.

"I guess we may as well keep on, until we find out who they are."

"After we finds out vot we does den?"

"We shall see--come on."

It was simple prudence that they should speak in whispers, and step with
as much care as if they were scouts entering the camp of an enemy. It
would have been rashness to neglect so simple a precaution, no matter
how favorable the circumstances.

"Holds on!" whispered Otto, "I dinks I goes around the oder side while
you takes a look on dis side."

"There is no need of doing that," interposed Jack; "we found out the
consequence of separating when in danger. You needn't keep behind me,
but you may walk at my side."

"All right," responded Otto, obeying the suggestion.

A rod or two further, and something red gleamed, among the trees and
undergrowth. Smoke was observed at the same moment, and immediately
after came the hum of voices and the sight of persons stretched on the
ground in lolling, indolent positions, while some were sitting on a
fallen tree, and two were engaged in broiling some veniso