and sound."

"I must go!" I cried, jumping up; "the commandant will lend me a horse,
as my own is not likely to be of much use, even if the poor brute is
still alive."

Notwithstanding the Dominie's expostulations, I was quickly ready. The
commandant was on foot. Sympathising with my anxiety, he at once
ordered a horse to be saddled for me. The eight troopers who were to
accompany us mounted, and directly afterwards a half-breed guide made
his appearance.

"He will conduct your train, wherever you may fall in with it, to the
nearest stream or water-hole," observed the commandant. "I cannot
promise you that your friends have not been attacked, as the Indians are
certainly in the neighbourhood, and have carried off some of our cattle;
but I trust that, should such be the case, they will hold out until you
arrive."

This remark increased my anxiety, and made me more eager than ever to be
off. I was looking out for Dio, and was inquiring for him, when he
appeared mounted on a little mustang, with a brace of pistols in his
belt, a soldier's carbine slung over his back, and a sword by his side.

"Dey no want me to go," he said, "but I say I fight as well as dey."

I said I was very glad he had come, and inquired for my horse, which, to
my satisfaction, he informed me was still alive, and that the doctor
thought it would recover. I was thankful to have Dio with us, for he
was as brave as man could be, and I could rely on him in any emergency.
We thus formed a party of twelve, and the troopers considered themselves
capable of coping with any Indians we were likely to encounter. The
sergeant in command of the party was a cautious man, and, afraid of
knocking up the horses, would not move as fast as I in my impatience
desired. We had, however, made good about four or five miles when day
dawned. As we moved on, we kept a look-out for Indians on both sides,
not knowing in what direction they might appear; but even should they
have crossed our course, we could not in the darkness discover their
trail. As the light increased, our guide searched diligently for it,
but he declared that he could perceive no signs of Indians having
recently passed that way, though he observed the trail which we had made
on the previous evening. At length I saw some way ahead the wings of
several large birds flapping just above the ground. As we drew nearer,
six or seven turkey buzzards rose into the air, and circling round flew
to a s