t believe that they themselves could have done
much better."

CHAPTER XXVII.

A RUN FOR LIFE.

A few minutes' ride at a swinging, easy, gallop brought Ned to the edge
of the grove where the camp fire had first arrested his attention. As he
reached the margin he threw himself from the back of the mustang,
fastened the bridle-rein securely to a limb, and, with his rifle slung
over his shoulder, strode forward toward the center. He was not yet in
sight of the fire when it suddenly occurred to him that possibly he was
mistaken. He checked himself and began moving very much as he did when
approaching his mustang, and it was fortunate that he did so, for the
next moment he discovered that he had committed a most serious mistake
indeed. Instead of seeing the well-known figures of the hunters sitting
by the camp fire and quietly smoking their pipes, he caught a glimpse of
half a dozen warriors very similarly engaged.

Ned shuddered as he reflected how narrowly he escaped running into
destruction, and then he crept forward until he could get a little
better view. There they were, six Apache Indians lolling and lounging
upon the grass. They had evidently returned from a long and wearisome
ride, and were devoting the early portion of the day to rest, both for
themselves and animals, which were picketed near at hand. The lad
naturally wondered whether any of them belonged to Lone Wolf's band, and
he crept nearer than was prudent in order to make certain.

"It may be that Lone Wolf himself is there," he reflected, drawn on by
that strange fascination which often seizes a person at the proximity of
some dreaded danger. "It would be queer if the chief had crossed my path
again."

By and by, after moving along for some distance upon his hands and
knees, he secured a favorable point, where, by waiting a few minutes, he
was able to gain a view of all the faces. They were all strangers. He
had never seen any of them before.

"That's good," he said to himself, as he began retrograding, "they won't
be expecting me--"

At this juncture, one of the Indian horses, a short distance away,
raised his head and whinnied. It was instantly responded to by the
mustang which Ned had ridden to the place. The Apaches very naturally
noticed this significant fact, and started to their feet to learn what
it meant. Terribly alarmed at the unexpected mishap, Ned sprang up, not
daring to trust the tardy, crab-like gait he was following, and,