t mean that the red hunters were driving the
great quarry toward the village of the Sioux, or that the young men were
out in force, and with the full complement of squaws and ponies, were
slaughtering on the run. If the former, then Dean and his party would be
wise to turn eastward and cross the trail of the chase. If the latter
they would stand better chance of slipping through to the Gap by pushing
northward, deeper in among the pine-crested heights.

Behind the watchers, well down in the ravine, the horses were placidly
nibbling at the scant herbage, or lazily sprawling in the sun, each
animal securely hoppled, and all carefully guarded by the single
trooper, whose own mount, ready saddled, circled within the limits of
the stout lariat, looped about his master's wrist. All spoke of caution,
of lively sense of danger and responsibility, for they of the little
detachment were picked men, who had ridden the warpath too long not to
realize that there was no such thing as trusting to luck in the heart of
the Indian country, especially when Machpealota with his Ogallalla
braves was out for business. The cautious movements of the group along
the bank had quickly been noted by the wakeful ones among the troopers,
and presently the entire party, excepting only the herd guard, had
crouched up alongside, and with the comradeship born of such perilous
service, were now discussing the situation in low, confidential tones.

For half an hour they lay there, studying the signs to the northeast.
The dun colored cloud hung low over the earth for a distance of several
miles. The herd was evidently one of unusual size even for those days
when the buffalo swarmed in countless thousands, and finally the
sergeant spoke again.

"It's a big hunt, lieutenant. Whatever may be going on about the Gap
they've found time to send out young men enough to round up most of the
buffalo north of the Platte and drive them in toward the mountains. It's
combining pleasure with business. They don't feel strong enough in
number, perhaps, to make another attempt on troops armed with
breech-loaders, so while they're waiting until their reinforcements
come, or their own breech-loaders, they are herding the buffalo where
they can get them when they want them later on. We are in big luck that
no stragglers are anywhere around us; if they were it wouldn't take such
fellows long to spy us out."

Dean swept the ridge line with his glass. No sign of life nearer th