track of where I was going," he went on bitterly.
"Of course, away out here one place is about as good as another for
hiding, but how am I going to find the others, or, rather, how are they
going to find me, when they come back?"

He pushed on for nearly a quarter of an hour; then, coming to a flat
rock, threw himself down for reflection.

"Just my luck!" he muttered. "I'll have to have a string tied about my
neck like a poodle dog. What a clown I was to go it blind! But Nellie's
cry for help made me forget everything else. Poor girl! I do hope she is
safe. If that redskin--gosh! what's that?"

The flat rock was backed up by a number of heavy bushes. From these
bushes had come a peculiar noise, half grunt, half yawn! Dick leaped to
his feet, the bushes parted and there appeared the savage face of
Yellow Elk!

Dick knew the Indian by that plume of which he had heard so much. He
rightfully guessed that Yellow Elk had been taking a nap behind the
bushes. He had been shot in the thigh, and this, coupled with the fact
that he had had no sleep for two nights, had made him very weary.

As the Indian chief shoved his face into view he caught sight of Dick
and uttered a slight huh! Up came the boy's weapon, but on the instant
Yellow Elk disappeared.

For the moment Dick was too paralyzed to move. Like a flash he realized
that Yellow Elk had the better of him, for the Indian was behind
shelter, while he stood in a clearing.

"White boy stand still!" came in guttural tones from the redskin. "Don't
dare move, or Indian shoot."

"What do you want of me?" asked Dick.

"White boy all alone?"

"What business is that of yours?"

At this Yellow Elk muttered a grunt. Then from out of the bushes Dick
saw thrust the shining barrel of a horse pistol.

"White boy throw down little shooter," commanded the redskin. By little
shooter he meant Dick's pistol.

There was no help for it, and the youth did as requested.

"White boy got udder shooter?"

"No."

"Now say if white boy alone. Speak if want to save life."

"Yes, I am alone, Yellow Elk."

"Ha! you know Yellow Elk?" cried the Indian in surprise.

"I've heard of you."

"What white boy do here?"

"I am lost."

"Lost. Huh!" and a look of disgust crossed the Indian chiefs face. The
idea of a human being losing his way was something he could not
understand. During his life he had covered thousands of miles of prairie
and forest lands and had never yet lost himself.