comprehended the serious business before them. It was seen that
Captain Dawson was slightly pale, but those who had been with him in
battle had observed the same peculiarity. Accompanied, as it was in
this instance, by a peculiar steely glitter of his eyes, it meant that
he was in a dangerous mood and the man who crossed his path did so at
his peril.

It was evident that he and Vose Adams had reached an understanding
during the few minutes that they were riding in advance. The words of
Vose Adams were spoken for the benefit of Ruggles and the parson.

"You'll wait here till I take a look at things."

"What do you mean to do?" asked Brush.

"I'm going up the slope on foot to find out how the land lays."

"And when you find that out, what next?"

"He is to come back and report to me," interposed the captain.

There was a world of meaning in these words. It showed that the
captain allowed Adams to lead only when acting as a guide. In all
other matters, the retired officer assumed control. The opportunity of
Vose to pick off the offending lieutenant promised to be better than
that of any one else, since he would first see him, but he had been
given to understand that he must immediately return and let the
captain know the situation. Adams had promised this and he knew Dawson
too well to dare to thwart him.

Brush and Ruggles could make no objection, keen though their
disappointment was. They watched Adams, as he slipped off his mule,
not deeming it worth while to utter the warning both had had in mind.
It was the parson who said:

"I suppose we have nothing to do except to wait here till you come
back?"

"It looks that way, but you must ask the captain."

"You won't be gone long?"

"I don't think so."

"Be careful, but there's no need of waiting," said the captain.

The three watched the guide until he disappeared from sight among the
cedars, when the captain added:

"Vose told me that it was possible that camp fire had been started by
Indians, but it seems to me there is little likelihood of that."

"Why?"

"Those people are so skilled in woodcraft that they would have been on
the alert against our approach, for a brief survey of the trail for
the last half hour would have revealed us to them."

"It may be," suggested the parson, "that with every reason to believe
there is no danger of anything of the kind, for it must be rare that a
white man passes along this trail, they did not keep a lookout."