. Mary,
with Indian shrewdness, had felt their beds, and had found them both quite
cold, so she knew the little mischiefs had been off at least an hour. She
interrogated not only the maid in the kitchen but also Kennedy, the man of
all work, outside. Neither of them had seen or heard anything of the
children, and as they did not share Mary's ideas the escapade of the
children was soon known.

The parents were naturally alarmed when they heard the news. At once the
father, accompanied by Kennedy and the dogs, Jack and Cuffy, started off on
the trail of the runaways. The intelligent dogs, having been shown a couple
of garments recently worn by the missing boy and girl and being told to
find them, at once took up the trail in the direction of the wigwam of
Souwanas, running with such rapidity that if they had not been restrained
by the voice of their master they would very quickly have left him and his
Indian attendant far behind.

At length, with a sudden start, both dogs, growling ominously, dashed off
ahead, utterly regardless of all efforts made by their master to restrain
them. This suspicious conduct on the part of the dogs of course alarmed the
father and his Indian companion, and as rapidly as the rough trail would
allow they hurried on in the direction taken by the dogs. Soon their ears
were greeted by a chorus of loud and angry yelping. Fear gave speed to both
the men, and soon they dashed out from the forest into the opening of an
Indian's clearing. Here was a sight that filled them with alarm, and almost
terror. Standing on a pile of logs were little Sagastao and Minnehaha.
Sagastao erect and fearless, with a club about as large as an ordinary
cane, while behind him, leaning against a high fallen log, was Minnehaha.
Surrounding them were several fierce, wolfish Indian dogs, among whom Jack
and Cuffy, wild and furious, were now making dire havoc. One after another,
wounded and limping, the curs skulked away as the two men rushed up to the
children.

"Ha! ha! hurrah for our Jack and Cuffy; aren't they the boss dogs!" shouted
the fearless little runaways, and now that the victory was won they nimbly
sprang down from their high retreat and, apparently without the slightest
fear, congratulated both their father and the Indian on the superiority of
their own dogs.

Trembling with anxiety, the anxious father, thankful at the narrow escape
of his children, as he clasped them in his arms could not but be amazed at
t