He was on his horse again in an instant, galloping up the not very
steep slope of the pass.

The two girls had been in no hurry, and it was not long before Red Wolf
came in sight of them.

He put his hand to his mouth and gave a long, peculiar whoop that
meant: "I am after you. Come back!"

They understood it well enough, and Rita might have obeyed at once if
she had been left to herself; but there was more than a little mischief
behind the black eyes of Ni-ha-be.

"Let him catch us. He won't do anything worse than scold. I'm not
afraid of Red Wolf."

Rita was, just a little, but she rode on beside her sister without
turning her head.

"We shall not read any out of the leaves this morning."

"Read? What is that?"

"Just the same as a warrior when he finds the trail of a deer. Just
like the trail of the blue-coat cavalry. Father and the gray-heads
read it."

"Is that the way the leaves talk to you? I guessed it was. It is all
signs, like tracks in the mud."

Rita had used the only Apache word she could think of that came at all
near to meaning what she wanted, but there was no word for "book," or
for any kind of book.

Again they heard the shout of Red Wolf behind them. It was nearer now,
and a little angry.

"He is coming, Ni-ha-be. Don't let us ride fast."

"He is saying ugly things. But we will laugh at him, and tell him he
cannot whoop loud enough to be heard."

Red Wolf was proud of his powerful voice, and that would be a sure way
to tease him.

"Rita! The great chief is angry! He calls for you!"

He was close upon them by this time, and they reined in their horses.
Teasing Red Wolf was one thing, but disobeying Many Bears was quite
another.

They had seen squaws beaten for smaller offences than that.

"We have done wrong, Ni-ha-be."

"Oh, not much. We can ride back as fast as our ponies can carry us.
Turn and meet him."

It had been a very little bit of a "runaway" on the part of the two
girls, but it threatened to have serious consequences.

There was no time even for Red Wolf to scold them before the
consequences began to come.

They had ridden just to the end of the spot where the rocks and bushes
at the roadside were so thick-set and made so perfect a cover for
anybody hiding among them.

"Look, Red Wolf! look!"

"Oh, who are they? Enemies!"

The young brave pulled in his mustang so sharply that he almost tumbled
him over, and turned his head.

"Pale-face