safe
enough."

A fire was therefore lighted in as sheltered a spot as could be found,
and the three friends bivouacked as usual. Towards dawn they were
aroused by an angry growl from Crusoe.

"It's a wolf likely," said Dick, but all three seized and cocked their
rifles nevertheless.

Again Crusoe growled more angrily than before, and springing out of the
camp snuffed the breeze anxiously.

"Up, lads; catch the nags! There's something in the wind, for the dog
niver did that afore."

In a few seconds the horses were saddled and the packs secured.

"Call in the dog," whispered Joe Blunt; "if he barks they'll find out
our whereabouts."

"Here, Crusoe, come--"

It was too late; the dog barked loudly and savagely at the moment, and a
troop of Indians came coursing over the plain. On hearing the unwonted
sound they wheeled directly and made for the camp.

"It's a war-party; fly, lads; nothin' 'll save our scalps now but our
horses' heels," cried Joe.

In a moment they vaulted into the saddle, and urged their steeds forward
at the utmost speed. The savages observed them, and with an exulting
yell dashed after them. Feeling that there was now no need of
concealment, the three horsemen struck off into the open prairie,
intending to depend entirely on the speed and stamina of their horses.
As we have before remarked, they were good ones, but the Indians soon
proved that they were equally well if not better mounted.

"It'll be a hard run," said Joe in a low, muttering tone, and looking
furtively over his shoulder. "The varmints are mounted on wild horses,
leastways they were wild not long agone. Them chaps can throw the lasso
and trip a mustang as well as a Mexican. Mind the badger holes, Dick.
Hold in a bit, Henri, yer nag don't need drivin'--a foot in a hole just
now would cost us our scalps. Keep down by the creek, lads."

"Hah! how dey yell," said Henri in a savage tone, looking back, and
shaking his rifle at them--an act that caused them to yell more fiercely
than ever. "Dis old pack-hoss give me moche trobel."

The pace was now tremendous. Pursuers and pursued rose and sank on the
prairie billows as they swept along, till they came to what is termed a
"dividing ridge," which is a cross wave, as it were, which cuts the
others in two, thus forming a continuous level. Here they advanced more
easily, but the advantage was equally shared with their pursuers, who
continued the headlong pursuit with occa