y the
creek, lads."

"Ha! how dey yell," said Henri in a savage tone, looking back, and
shaking his rifle at them, an act that caused them to yell more
fiercely than ever. "Dis old pack-hoss give me moche trobel."

The pace was now tremendous. Pursuers and pursued rose and sank on the
prairie billows as they swept along, till they came to what is termed
a "dividing ridge," which is a cross wave, as it were, that cuts the
others in two, thus forming a continuous level. Here they advanced
more easily; but the advantage was equally shared with their pursuers,
who continued the headlong pursuit with occasional yells, which served
to show the fugitives that they at least did not gain ground.

A little to the right of the direction in which they were flying a
blue line was seen on the horizon. This indicated the existence of
trees to Joe's practised eyes, and feeling that if the horses broke
down they could better make a last manful stand in the wood than on
the plain he urged his steed towards it. The savages noticed the
movement at once, and uttered a yell of exultation, for they regarded
it as an evidence that the fugitives doubted the strength of their
horses.

"Ye haven't got us yet," muttered Joe, with a sardonic grin. "If they
get near us, Dick, keep yer eyes open an' look out for yer neck, else
they'll drop a noose over it, they will, afore ye know they're near,
an' haul ye off like a sack."

Dick nodded in reply, but did not speak, for at that moment his eye
was fixed on a small creek ahead which they must necessarily leap or
dash across. It was lined with clumps of scattered shrubbery, and he
glanced rapidly for the most suitable place to pass. Joe and Henri did
the same, and having diverged a little to the different points chosen,
they dashed through the shrubbery and were hid from each other's view.
On approaching the edge of the stream, Dick found to his consternation
that the bank was twenty feet high opposite him, and too wide for any
horse to clear. Wheeling aside without checking speed, at the risk of
throwing his steed, he rode along the margin of the stream for a few
hundred yards until he found a ford--at least such a spot as might be
cleared by a bold leap. The temporary check, however, had enabled an
Indian to gain so close upon his heels that his exulting yell sounded
close in his ear.

With a vigorous bound his gallant little horse went over. Crusoe could
not take it, but he rushed down the one