The boys were relieved over one fact: they had come upon no broad stream
or river. Indeed, they had seen but the one stream which proved such a
means of enjoyment to them, and the configuration of the country
rendered it unlikely that they would meet any thing of the kind, until
after passing the ridge where they expected to go into camp.

Another source of relief was the certainty that their long swim down the
stream would be an obstacle to pursuit by their enemies. They would be
compelled to make search before the trail could be recovered, and that
would take till the rising of the morrow's sun.

And thus it was that, while hurrying on, they were shut in by darkness,
and progress became difficult. Even had the moon been at its full, the
dense shadows under the trees would have rendered the sense of touch
more useful than that of sight, but, as it was, they were making good
progress when Jack, who still kept a slight lead, exclaimed in an
undertone:

"By gracious, Otto, there's a light ahead! What can it mean?"

"It means dot some wood ish burning, I dinks."

Of one thing the boys were convinced--whoever had kindled the camp-fire
was not a Pawnee. None of them could have reached such a position in
advance of the fugitives, and the villages of the tribe were so far to
the north-west that no other beside the main party were in the
neighborhood.

"Deerfoot told us that we must not camp this side of that ridge," added
Jack, "so we'll keep on until we find out who our neighbors are."

This was an easy matter, since no effort had been made to hide the light
of the fire, which was visible a long distance away. As is the case at
such, times, it appeared to be closer than it was, both the lads
expressing disappointment that it seemed to recede, like the _ignis
fatuus_, as they walked toward it.

But when at last our friends halted within a few rods, they were amazed
to see but a single warrior in camp. It required some maneuvering to
make certain on the point, but the fact was not only demonstrated, but
the equally astonishing truth was established that the warrior belonged
to the Sauk nation.

Both lads were so familiar with that people that it was scarcely
possible to err. In spite of what Jack Carleton had said about the
similarity in appearance of all Indian warriors, there were
peculiarities of dress and looks which identified them. More than that,
the young Kentuckian recalled this one, whom he had seen duri