was convinced,
was produced by the camp-fire of my friends. I advanced, not without
many a scratch, while my clothes were well-nigh torn to pieces.
Suddenly the thought occurred to me that the distance was greater than I
had come, and that the fire might possibly be that of an Indian camp. I
stopped to listen, but no sound reached me. Then again I went forward.
The glow increased, and I was sure I was approaching a camp. Still I
could hear no one speaking. Suddenly, however, a hail reached my ears--

"Arrah! who goes there?" and, to my infinite satisfaction, I recognised
Tim's voice.

"It's Maurice; don't be after shooting me," I cried out; and I was soon
in the midst of my friends.

The information I brought caused them considerable anxiety; still they
hoped that Rochford might after all return. They resolved, however, to
wait until Pompey made his appearance before deciding on what to do. He
at last arrived, looking very crestfallen. We, of course, did not tell
him that we already possessed most of the information he had to give.
He told us, in addition to what we already knew, that a party of Indians
had been seen following up Rochford's trail. Fears were entertained,
therefore, that he had been overtaken, especially as one of the Indians
was on horseback.

"Then it must be that rascal Spotted Wolf!" exclaimed Carlos. "I
guessed from the first that he was plotting some mischief, and I wish
that he had been shot at once."

Cross-questioning the black, we found that the Redskins had been seen on
the previous day, so that should they have fallen in with Rochford, they
could not as yet have got very far away. Pompey offered to bring
another black, who had caught sight of them, and who, knowing the
country well, would assist in guiding us.

I could not sleep when off my watch for thinking of the work we should
have to do on the following day. Perhaps we should find Rochford killed
and scalped.

As may be supposed, we kept a very vigilant watch; for Indians being
close at hand, we might should they for a moment find us off our guard,
be attacked and murdered. Captain Norton, though not exactly despising
them, was of the opinion that their successes had arisen from the
carelessness of the whites, who, had they not been taken completely by
surprise, could with ease have driven off their Redskin foes.

The night passed away, and at the earliest dawn Pompey getting up, gave
himself a shake, and offered