dozed for a moment while I sat down
against a tree. However, no harm is done; and I will now finish my
nap." Saying this, he threw himself on the ground in the place I had
just left vacant.

"I suspect that our friends, as you also, will thank me for putting some
more sticks on the fire," I observed. "The smoke will help to drive off
the mosquitoes, which have been biting abominably; and I heard them
buzzing round my ears the moment you called me."

I found by my watch that Lejoillie had allowed nearly an hour to pass
since he ought to have aroused me, and that I should in consequence have
but a short time to stand sentry. Taking up my rifle, I determined to
be more wakeful than he had been. I stepped towards where Spotted Wolf
was lying. He appeared to me to be sleeping soundly, with his head
covered up in his blanket, and his feet thrust into a heap of leaves.
The horse was farther off than it had been before, and I supposed that
Lejoillie had shifted its tether so as to allow it to obtain more grass.
I continued pacing up and down, now and then stopping to throw a few
more sticks on the fire. The stars shone bright overhead, but there was
no moon, and the lean-tos threw a dark shadow over the ground around, so
that, except when the flames burst up, I could distinguish nothing
clearly at any distance from the camp. The usual sounds which were wont
to reach our ears during darkness in the forest were alone heard: the
screeching of some night-bird, the croaking of frogs, the burr and buzz
of insects innumerable, and occasionally a rustling among the dry
palmetto leaves, which I knew was probably produced by a rattlesnake. I
was thankful when I saw that it was time to call up Rochford. While I
was arousing him, I thought I heard the sound of a horse moving rapidly
over the ground.

"Hark!" I exclaimed, "can that be our horse which has got loose?" We
both looked in the direction where we had last seen the animal, but it
was nowhere visible.

"It has got loose somehow or other. We must try to catch it," cried
Rochford.

Before I followed him, I sprang forward to where I supposed the Indian
was sleeping. I lifted the blanket,--a heap of leaves alone was beneath
it. He was gone. There could be no doubt that he had carried off the
horse. We might as well try to overtake a fleet deer as to attempt to
catch him on foot. I shouted to Rochford, fearing that he might be led
too far from the camp to be able