rk horsemen was headed by Many Bears in person, and it
was barely two minutes more before he was reining in his pony in front
of the two "pale-face Lipans."

"How!" said Murray, quite heartily, holding out his right hand, with
the open palm up, while he put his left upon his breast.

"How!" replied the chief, with a little hesitation; but a dozen voices
around him were shouting,

"Send Warning!"

"Knotted Cord!"

"Pale-face friends of Apaches!"

And it was plain that the description given of them by Red Wolf and the
girls had been accurate enough for their instant recognition.

"Other pale-faces run away. Why you stay?"

"Don't know them. Strangers. Run away from Apache chief. Chief must
not follow."

"Why not follow?"

"Run against Lipans. Have big fight. Lose many warriors. All for
nothing. Better go back."

"Send Warning is a good friend. Do what he say. You come?"

"Yes--we come. Trust friend."

Steve listened in silent wonder. He had never heard Murray speak a
word about the Apaches that was not full of distrust of their good
faith as well as hate of their ferocity, yet here he was treating them
with the most absolute confidence. Steve felt quite sure he would have
hesitated, for his own part, to meet a band of Lipans in that way. He
did not understand Indian character as well as Murray, in spite of his
three years among them. A man who came to them conferring benefits,
and betraying no doubt of their good faith, was as safe among them as
if he had been one of their own people.

It also occurred to Steve that this was hardly what Murray had been
sent out for by To-la-go-to-de, but his devotion to the interests of
that chief was not strong enough to make him care much.

Whatever might be Murray's intentions, Steve was clear enough that his
own would never carry him back to make any sort of report of their
"scouting."

The Apaches wheeled toward the west, and Send Warning and Knotted Cord
rode on at the side of Many Bears.

CHAPTER XVII

If To-la-go-to-de and his Lipans had moved forward just a little
earlier that morning, they might have been in time to witness the
departure of Captain Skinner and his men on their ill-advised
expedition. As it was, they were astonished enough by what they saw.

"Pale-faces."

"Big wagons."

"Much horse. Much mule."

"No Tongue leave that behind him for Lipans to take, and go on after
Apaches."

They believed they had solved one