ng
vigour, the party found that it led them out of the lower country into a
region high up amongst the hills.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

THE PURSUIT.

"Wapaw must have worked hard, for we should have overhauled him by this
time," said Walter to his uncle on the evening of the next day, as they
plodded steadily along through the snow.

"I would give up the pursuit," said Robin, somewhat gloomily, "for it's
losin' time that might be better spent on another search; but it won't
do to leave the crittur, for if he's badly wounded he may die for want
o' help."

"Guess he can't be very bad, else he'd niver travel so fast," observed
Stiff, who, now that the chief murderer was punished, did not care much
to go in search of the wounded Indian.

"When a man thinks a band o' yellin' redskins are follerin' up his
trail," said Slugs, "he's pretty sure to travel fast, wounded or not
wounded--leastways if he's able. But I don't think we'll have to go
much farther now, for I've noticed that his stride ain't so long as it
was, and that's a sartin sure sign that he's failin'; I only hope he
won't go under before we find him."

"Niver a fear o' that," said Larry O'Dowd, with a grin. "I've seed him
as far gone as any one iver I comed across, wi' starvation; but the way
that fellow walked into the grub when he got the chance was wonderful to
behold! I thought he'd ait me out o' the house entirely; and he put so
much flesh on his bones in a week or two that he was able to go about
his business, though he warn't no fatter when he began to ait than a
consumptive darnin' needle. True for ye--it's naither walkin',
starvin', nor cowld, as'll kill Wapaw."

"What does the Black Swan think?" inquired Robin.

"We shall see Wapaw when the sun is low to-morrow," replied the Indian.

"Mayhap we shall," quoth Robin, "but it behooves us to get the steam up
for to-morrow: so, comrades, as there's a good clump o' timber here
away, we'll camp."

Robin threw down his bundle as he spoke, and his example was at once
followed by the others, each of whom set to work vigorously to assist in
preparing the encampment.

They had all the requisite implements for this purpose, having returned,
after the attack on the Indians, for the things they had left behind
them.

"It's a pity that we shall have to keep watch to-night," said Walter;
"one of us will have to do it, I fancy; for though I don't believe these
murderin' redskins have pluck to attack us