pony or two days' with
cattle up the trail, at the point where the divide between Salt and
North Fork narrows to about ten miles in width. We leeched out of them
very cautiously the information that the encampment was a large one,
and that all herds this year had given up cattle, some as many as
twenty-five head.

Having secured the information we wanted, Flood gave to each Apache a
package of Arbuckle coffee, a small sack of sugar, and both smoking
and chewing tobacco. Quarternight informed them that as the cattle
were bedded for the night, they had better remain until morning, when
he would pick them out a nice fat beef. On their consenting, Fox
stripped the wagon sheet off the wagon and made them a good bed, in
which, with their body blankets, they were as comfortable as any of
us. Neither of them was armed, so we felt no fear of them, and after
they had lain down on their couch, Flood called Quarternight and me,
and we strolled out into the darkness and reviewed the information. We
agreed that the topography of the country they had given was most
likely correct, because we could verify much of it by maps in our
possession. Another thing on which we agreed was, that there was some
means of communication between this small and seemingly peaceable band
and the main encampment of the tribe; and that more than likely our
approach would be known in the large encampment before sunrise. In
spite of the good opinion we entertained of our guests, we were also
satisfied they had lied to us when they denied they had been in the
large camp since the trail herds began to pass. This was the last
question we had asked, and the artful manner in which they had parried
it showed our guests to be no mean diplomats themselves.

Our camp was astir by daybreak, and after breakfast, as we were
catching our mounts for the day, one of the Apaches offered to take a
certain pinto horse in our _remuda_ in lieu of the promised beef, but
Flood declined the offer. On overtaking the herd after breakfast,
Quarternight cut out a fat two year old stray heifer, and he and I
assisted our guests to drive their beef several miles toward their
village. Finally bidding them farewell, we returned to the herd, when
the outfit informed us that Flood and The Rebel had ridden on ahead to
look out a crossing on the Salt Fork. From this move it was evident
that if a passable ford could be found, our foreman intended to
abandon the established route and avoid th