f food.

"What's he want?" growled Devers, sauntering over to where the officer
stood. "We've left the Indians miles behind. Surely there can't be any
between us and the river."

Many eyes were fixed on the coming horseman or on the little group of
scouts and soldiers surrounding the major, who, kneeling, was levelling
his field-glasses over the ridge at some objects far away, apparently
towards the southeast.

"They're everywhere,--damn them!" was the curt answer, "except where we
want them. But he's looking off square to the left, not ahead."

This was true. Whatever it might have been far to the front of the weary
column that caused the little squad of scouts to signal halt after their
first cautious peep over that ridge, the object at which so many were
now excitedly peering and pointing was at right angles to the direction
of the march. Yet did the advance keep well concealed against observant
eyes ahead, though why they should do so when every Indian in Dakota by
this time knew all about them, their movements, and those of the main
column farther over towards the Little Missouri, Truman couldn't
understand.

"Have you ten horses that can stand a side scout?" asked the adjutant,
urging his mud-spattered mount to the head of Devers's troop. He spoke
abruptly, and without salute, to his superior officer,--his own captain
at that.

"What are we on but a side scout now?" demanded that officer, in the
surly tone the best of men may fall into under such circumstances.

"That isn't the question," replied Mr. Hastings, "and we've no time for
points. Davies, it's your detail. There's something--we can't make out
what--over towards the river. Report to the major and I'll find your
party."

"I doubt if my horse can stand any side scout," said Davies, slowly,
"but I am ready."

"Oh, your horse's as good as any in the outfit," interposed the
adjutant, impatiently. "The major wants ten men from your troop at once,
captain,--the ten who have the strongest horses. It won't take 'em more
than a dozen miles out of the way, I reckon. The whole crowd would go,
only men and horses can barely make the day's march as it is."

"See any Indians?" asked Truman, lounging up.

"I haven't. Crounse and the scouts say they have, and it's likely
enough. Of course you've seen the pony tracks, and what's queer is that
many of them head over towards the very point where this smoke is
drifting from. Looks as if they'd jumped some wagons