"Gone to see how many men there," the chief said in explanation to Jerry. "Too much laugh, no good."
"He means the men must have gone off again, Tom. If there were men in the camp the boys would not be making a noise."
They were but a few hundred yards from the trees, and in a very short time the Indian returned.
"Men are gone," he said; "only squaws and boys there."
"How many lodges are there?" the chief asked. Hunting Dog held up both hands with extended fingers, and then one finger only.
"Eleven of them," Jerry said. "I expect they are all small villages, and they move their lodges across into the forests when winter comes on."
As soon as they had mounted, the chief put his horse into a canter, and at this pace they went forward for some hours, breaking into a walk occasionally for a few minutes.
"I thought you said we should not go beyond a walk to-night, Jerry," Tom remarked on the first of these occasions.
"That is what we kinder agreed, lad; but you may be sure the chief has some good reason for going on faster. I dunno what it is, and I ain't going to ask. Red-skins hate being questioned. If he wants to tell us he will tell us without being asked."
A faint light was stealing over the sky when the chief halted his horse and sat listening. No sound, however, broke the stillness of the night.
"Did you think you heard anything, chief?"
"Leaping Horse heard nothing, but he stopped to listen. What does my white brother think of the 'Rappahoes having gone on directly they returned from the chase?"
"I thought that when they got the news that some white men had gone through, they might have started to join those following up the trail. Isn't that what you think, chief?"
"Only three white men, plenty Indians on trail; no hurry to follow; might have had feast after hunt and gone on in morning."
"So they might. You think the whites have been tracked, and are to be attacked this morning?"
"Perhaps attacked yesterday. Perhaps have got strong place, 'Rappahoes want more help to take it. White rifle shoot straight, perhaps want more men to starve them out."
They again went forward, at a gallop now. Jerry did not think much of the chief's idea. It seemed to him natural that the Indians should want to join in the hunt for scalps, and to get a share of the white men's goods, though he admitted that it was strange they should have gone on without taking a meal. Presently the chief reined in his horse again, and sat with head bent forward. Tom heard an angry grunt from between Hunting Dog's teeth. Listening intently also, he was conscious of a faint, far-away sound.