“Do you think he knows what is going on at Dixon’s Ferry?”
“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell us if he did.”
“Evidently the Indians must have been causing trouble for some time,” remarked Joseph. “Otherwise the governor wouldn’t have sent soldiers after them as soon as this.”
“That’s right, I guess,” Robert agreed. “Probably that band which attacked us was only a detachment of the main body. It was undoubtedly the same one that burned the Scotts’ home and started this fire, too.”
“Probably it was. If we ever reach Dixon’s Ferry we’ll know it all. Do you suppose they’ll let us enlist?”
“They will if they have any volunteers. They’ll have a hard time keeping me out, that’s sure.”
“I wish—” began Joseph when the sound of a rifle shot suddenly cut him short. Both boys sprang to their feet in alarm. The report came from the direction in which Deerfoot had gone and instantly the two boys’ minds were filled with visions of dreadful things happening to their friend.
“Bring your rifle and come along,” cried Joseph as he began to run along the bank of the stream. Robert was with him in an instant.
“Hold back here, Joe,” he urged. “Let me go ahead; I’ve got the gun. Take it slow, too.”
Cautiously they approached the bend in the river, Robert slightly in the lead. He was holding his rifle ready for instant use and both boys were prepared for any emergency. As they turned in their course they spied Deerfoot. He was approaching them, holding his rifle in one hand and an enormous jack rabbit in the other. He could not repress a grin of amusement as he saw the hostile attitude of his two young friends.
“We thought you’d been attacked,” exclaimed Joseph heaving a great sigh of relief.
“So we see,” remarked Joseph. “Don’t you think, though, that somebody might have heard the shot and that it may get us into trouble?”
“Nobody to hear shot,” said Deerfoot. “Nobody on prairie after fire.”
“I guess that’s true enough,” laughed Robert. “I’m glad to see that old rabbit, too. I suppose he was hiding from the fire as well as we were.”
“Yes,” said Deerfoot. “He hid. Me find him though.”
The two brothers set to work collecting such wood as they could find in the gully and that had escaped the flames; Deerfoot at the same time was busily engaged in skinning the rabbit.