paper he held in his hand, and presently found
the following, which he read aloud: "Three smokes, followed at the
interval of half a minute by three others, are intended to point out the
position of the signalling-party."--"There you are!" said he, turning to
the courier. "Fix in your mind the place from which that smoke arose,
and then travel a little to the north of it, so as to allow for the
captain's progress, and you will find him."

"How far away was that smoke?" asked the courier as he and his
companions crept back down the hill.

"Fifteen miles," replied George.

"Whew! Well, I'll get there if I can. Who's got my canteen? Why, you
have left some in it!" he added as one of the squad handed him the
article in question. "Don't any of you want another taste?"

Yes, there were plenty there who could have drained the canteen to the
last drop and then called for more, but knowing that the courier would
have need of it before he had galloped fifteen miles under that broiling
sun with the hot wind blowing upon him, they all declared that they had
had enough.

After Carey and Loring had moistened their parched lips the courier
sprang upon his horse and waved his farewell, while Bob and his men,
feeling somewhat refreshed, took up the trail again and followed it at a
trot.

CHAPTER XII.

ANOTHER FEATHER FOR BOB'S CAP.

The second diversion of which we have spoken occurred about an hour
after Lieutenant Earle's courier left them. It was nothing more nor less
than the discovery of the fact that the party of whom they were in
pursuit had been joined by another warrior, whose pony's tracks came
from the direction in which the lieutenant was supposed to be scouting.
Bob and his men did not seem to attach much importance to this, but
George did. He looked the ground over very carefully, and reached
conclusions that astonished himself.

"Bob Owens," said he in a low tone as they resumed the march, "you've
got another chance to put a feather in your hat--a big one, too.
Lieutenant Earle will never rescue Mr. Wentworth's boys, but you can if
you're smart."

Bob, who always listened in the greatest amazement (and with some
incredulity, too, it must be confessed) to his friend's predictions,
could only look the surprise he felt. How any one, by simply looking at
a pony's track, could tell what a party of men whom he had never seen
were going to do, he could not understand.

"To begin with," continued George, "o