some of these wandering bands of Indians."

"S'pose he isn't."

"We have done that; but let us face the worst. If he has been taken away
by them, what shall we do?"

"Hunt him up."

"That is true, but how that is to be done is the difficulty. If we only
had Shasta with us."

"Arrah, now, if ye'd had him ye'd've niver gone thramping off in the
woods and having me alone here with the dog. The red gintleman knowed
what was best for us, and do ye mind, he kept his eye upon yez all the
time."

Howard had thought the same thing a score of times since noon, and there
was no need of his being told how the Pah Utah would have acted had he
remained with them.

"I thinks Mr. Shasta isn't a great many miles off. P'rhaps," added Tim,
significantly, "he's kapin' watch upon us and will come to our help in
our throuble."

But the contingency, to Howard at least, was too remote for him to build
any hopes upon it. It seemed more probable that the Indian's friendship
had led him much further out of the way than they had suspected, and
that he was now many a long mile off, speeding toward home.

"He may find out that the youngster is wid 'em," added Tim, "whin he
will hasten to his relaaf."

"That seems the most likely."

"There's but one thing agin it."

"And what is that?"

But the Irishman was silent. The boy repeated his question.

"It's bad--let it be."

But Howard insisted.

"Wal, you know, they may--wal--_put him out the way_."

"O Tim!" groaned Howard, "that cannot be, that cannot be!"

"I hopes not, but there's no telling what these sarpints may take into
their heads to do. They're a bad set of craytures, always barring Mr.
Shasta, and I'd've thought a good daal more of the same if he'd only
staid a few days longer wid us."

"He thought we had enough sense to take care of ourselves, after he had
seen us through the most dangerous part of our journey, otherwise he
would have remained with us to the end. But, as I said a minute ago, it
does no good for us to lament what cannot be helped. As soon as it is
light we must go up among the hills with Terror and make a hunt for
Elwood."

"Yees spake the truth. The dog may be smarter than we is, and I'm
thinkin' it wouldn't have to be very smart to be in that same fix, and
we'll sarch till we finds out something about him."

"It is fortunate for poor Elwood that the night is so mild and
pleasant."

"Fort'nit for ourselves, be the same towken; for without our