e shooting and firing of guns,
which came from the forest beyond, there was heard no signal which told
that the daring youth had been shot or captured. The moment such a
result should take place, it would be made known by the exultation whoop
from the one fortunate enough to bring it about.

The question which presented itself to Red Wolf and his companion was,
whether it was probable the wonderful Deerfoot was alone. The Pawnees
were returning from a long excursion eastward, which had led them across
and into new hunting grounds, where their presence was sure to arouse
enmity whenever discovered. On that journey toward the Mississippi, the
Pawnees had come in collision with other parties of red men; guns had
been fired and one or two scalps taken, including one lost. In addition,
the invaders had destroyed much game, so that abundant ground for
complaint rested with the strangers. What more probable than that some
of those aggrieved tribes had determined on a retaliatory policy, by
sending a strong party to chastise the Pawnees?

Before Red Wolf could start a discussion on this question, the one at
his side became so interested in what was going on deeper in the woods
that he sprang to his feet and was off like a shot. This left Red Wolf
and Lone Bear alone, and the former felt much less disposition to pick a
quarrel than before.

"Are not the hunting grounds of the Shawanoes beyond the Great River?"
asked Red Wolf.

Lone Bear glared at him, as if doubting the sincerity of the question,
but, satisfied a moment later that the inquirer was in quest of truth,
he shook off his surliness and answered:

"Two suns' travel beyond the Great River lie the hunting grounds of the
Shawanoes and Wyandots."

"The Shawanoes are brave warriors?"

"Only the Pawnees excel them," was the reply of Lone Bear, who in those
words uttered the greatest compliment possible to the warlike tribe
which did more than any other to give Kentucky its baptismal name of the
Dark and Bloody Ground.

"Why is the Shawanoe whom you call Deerfoot journeying toward the
hunting grounds of the Pawnees?"

This was a pertinent question, which Lone Bear would have been glad to
have some one answer for him, but which, as might be expected, he sought
to solve without hesitation.

"He has come to look upon the woods and streams and prairies so favored
by the Great Spirit, where the bravest warriors, the Pawnees, are born,
and from which they drive all str