ke in the second man, who happened to be experienced,
"and as he was to wind'ard o' the boy he was off HIS scent and bearings.
He was one of their rear scouts; the rest o' them's ahead crossing our
track to cut us off. Ye didn't see anything else?"

"I saw a coyote first," said Clarence, greatly encouraged.

"Hold on!" said the expert, as Harry turned away with a sneer. "That's
a sign, too. Wolf don't go where wolf hez been, and coyote don't foller
Injins--there's no pickin's! How long afore did you see the coyote?"

"Just after we left the wagon," said Clarence.

"That's it," said the man, thoughtfully. "He was driven on ahead, or
hanging on their flanks. These Injins are betwixt us and that ar train,
or following it."

Peyton made a hurried gesture of warning, as if reminding the speaker
of Clarence's presence--a gesture which the boy noticed and wondered
at. Then the conversation of the three men took a lower tone, although
Clarence distinctly heard the concluding opinion of the expert.

"It ain't no good now, Mr. Peyton, and you'd be only exposing yourself
on their ground by breakin' camp agin to-night. And you don't know
that it ain't US they're watchin'. You see, if we hadn't turned off the
straight road when we got that first scare from these yer lost children,
we might hev gone on and walked plump into some cursed trap of those
devils. To my mind, we're just in nigger luck, and with a good watch and
my patrol we're all right to be fixed where we be till daylight."

Mr. Peyton presently turned away, taking Clarence with him. "As we'll
be up early and on the track of your train to-morrow, my boy, you had
better turn in now. I've put you up in my wagon, and as I expect to be
in the saddle most of the night, I reckon I won't trouble you much." He
led the way to a second wagon--drawn up beside the one where Susy and
Mrs. Peyton had retired--which Clarence was surprised to find fitted
with a writing table and desk, a chair, and even a bookshelf containing
some volumes. A long locker, fitted like a lounge, had been made up as
a couch for him, with the unwonted luxury of clean white sheets and
pillow-cases. A soft matting covered the floor of the heavy wagon bed,
which, Mr. Peyton explained, was hung on centre springs to prevent
jarring. The sides and roof of the vehicle were of lightly paneled wood,
instead of the usual hooked canvas frame of the ordinary emigrant wagon,
and fitted with a glazed door and movable