channel. _Then_ the hoss mout a waded 'crosst
hyur, easy as fallin' off a log, and _then_ that hoss _did_ wade
acrosst."

"He crossed before the rain?"

"Sure as a shot from Targuts. Look at the tracks! Them wur made afore
a drop o' rain kim down: ef they hedn't, they'd a been a durned sight
deeper in the sod. Wagh! the hoss got safe acrosst 'ithout wettin' a
hair o' his hips. So far as drowndin' goes, don't be skeeart 'bout
thet, young fellur! the gurl's safe enough yit."

"And the wolves? Do you think they have followed across the stream?"

"Ne'er a wolf o' 'em--ne'er a one. The vamints hed more sense. They
knowd thur legs wan't long enough, an thet ur current wud a swep 'em a
mile afore they kud a swum half-way acrosst. The wolves, they stayed on
this side, I reck'n. Look hyur--hyur's thur tracks. Wagh! thur wur a
wheen o' the filthy beests. Geehosophat! the bank ur paddled like a
sheep-pen."

We bent down to examine the ground. Sure enough, it was covered with
the tracks of wolves. A numerous band had crowded together on the spot;
and as the prints of their feet pointed in all directions, it was
evident they had not gone forward, but, brought to a stand by the
torrent, had given up the chase, and scattered away.

Pray heaven it was no mere conjecture!

With Rube it was a belief; and as I had grown to put implicit reliance
in the old trapper's wood-craft, I felt reassured. Rube's opinions,
both as to the steed having safely crossed, and the discomfiture of the
wolves, were shared by the rest of my followers--not one of whom was a
mean authority on such a subject. Garey--second only to his older
comrade in the working out of a prairie syllogism--gave Rube's statement
his emphatic confirmation. The steed was yet safe--and pray heaven, the
rider.

With lighter heart I sprang back into the saddle. My followers imitated
the example, and with eyes scanning the stream, we rode along the bank
to seek for a crossing.

There was no ford near the spot. Perhaps where the steed had passed
over the stream might have been waded at low-water; but now, during the
freshet, the current would have swept off horse and man like so much
cork-wood. The rocks--the black waves that rushed between them--the
boiling, frothing eddies--discouraged any attempt at crossing there; we
all saw that it was impracticable.

Some rode up stream, others went in the opposite direction.

Both parties met again with blank lo