cene here looks very promising to me," said John.

"Yes, it is better and better," remarked Muro.

"But you haven't told us yet, how you know that George was interviewing
the Chief."

"Come here and I will show you. Now look closely at the foot prints of
George. Then observe the indications as to the attitude of the Chief.
George goes up to the Chief. They turn around. Here is a shell. Beyond
is the tree where they had the mark, and here are the tracks of the
Chief and George as they go up to the tree."

Harry was now convinced. It must be said, however, that many of the
marks made were so illy-defined, that it required extraordinary vision
to observe them, and this is what Harry marveled at.

"What you say only proves the value of minute observation," remarked
John. "Those who are not accustomed to see these things, can not detect
what are very plain markings. Sometimes a slightly torn leaf, under
certain conditions, will tell a story in itself,--just such a
commonplace and ordinary thing as a ruptured leaf."

The consensus of opinion was that there were fully twenty-five in the
party counting George, and it is remarkable that when the matter was
afterwards investigated it was found that Uraso's count was right.

There were six in the party which took George, twelve who surrounded the
party before the Chief arrived, and five more were with him when he came
up.

Another consultation was held. John remarked: "I am of the opinion that
the people who have captured George are not at all bad, or vindictive.
Therefore we must exercise care and not needlessly injure any of them. I
need not say that it is our purpose here to aid the people, to make
friends of them, and not enemies."

"That is in accordance with our wish," said Uraso, with the approval of
all present.

"It is perfectly evident that these people, in taking George, did what
most people in a savage condition would do. The great and overshadowing
trait in humanity is to acquire something. It is just possible that the
cartridge belt, or the field glasses, or the buttons on his coat were of
more importance to them than George himself."

"Then you mean they had to get George to get the buttons," said Harry,
laughing in his relief.

"Of course," answered John, and Muro laughed aloud, as he recalled his
first experiences with the boys.

"John has hit upon the very thing which is at the bottom of the whole
business. All we wanted was to get the trinket, an