The faint light enabled me to see the whiskey jug, lying on the ground
near them. The cork was out, and it was evidently empty. The thieves
snored so that the earth seemed to shake under them, and I was
satisfied that they were as drunk as human beings could be and live.

We made a circuit around the sleeping Indians, and reached the place
where the horses were fastened. Firefly neighed and danced in his
delight at seeing me, and even his more stolid mate was disposed to
make a demonstration of joy; for both animals had been in the habit of
spending their nights in a comfortable stable. The horses of the
Indians were as they had ridden them, wearing their bridles, and the
folded blankets, which served us saddles, strapped upon their backs.

"We needn't spend much time thinking about it," said I, after I had
patted Firefly on the neck to assure him I was still his friend. "They
have nothing but halters on their necks, though we have only to mount
them, and they will go home without any guiding."

"The Indian horses have saddles and bridles on," answered Mr.
Mellowtone. "I think we had better do as the redskins did--ride their
horses, and lead the others."

"Shall we take their horses?" I asked, rather startled by the
proposition.

"Certainly; we must teach them a lesson which they will remember. We
are in the world as instructors of those who are less wise than we, and
it is our duty to impart wisdom to those who need it."

"They will come down after them, when they are sober."

"They will do that if you take only your own animals. They will fight
just as hard to recover the property they stole as to obtain what is
justly their own."

Without stopping to debate the matter any further, we mounted the
Indians' horses.

CHAPTER III.

IN WHICH PHIL TAKES GOOD CARE OF THE HORSES.

I took old Firefly's halter in my hand, while Mr. Mellowtone had that
of our other horse. We were ready to start; but the problem of reaching
the river path without disturbing the Indians did not seem so easy of
solution as at first. We intended to make a circuit around the drunken
thieves; but I found the underbrush was so thick that a passage with
the horses was impossible. There was seldom any undergrowth in the
forest, but this place appeared to have been chosen by the redskins for
the purpose of presenting to us the very difficulty we now encountered.

They knew that they must be pursued, if at all, from the direction of