out their
boughs to hide us. About midnight now, isn't it, Will?"

The lad was able to see the face of his watch and announced that it was
midnight and a half hour more.

"That's good," said Boyd, "because the darkest part of the night is now
coming, and maybe some clouds floating up from the south will help us.
Yes, I think I notice a change already. Three stars that I counted a
little while ago have gone away."

"And about five million are left."

"Still, every little counts. Maybe in an hour or so two or three more
will go away."

"You're certainly an optimist, Jim. You draw hope from very little
things."

"It pays. Hope not only makes you stronger, it also makes you happier.
There, didn't I tell you? I said that two or three stars might go away,
but it's far better than two or three. All the skirmishers have left
and now troops and battalions are departing, too. Maybe whole armies
will leave before long, and give us an entirely black sky."

It grew visibly darker, although many of the stars remained twinkling in
their places, but they were much encouraged, nevertheless, and trusting
in the aid of the night, still saved the strength of their horses.

"It will make it a little harder for the Sioux to trail us," said Boyd,
"and if, by any chance they should get near enough for a shot, the odds
are about twenty to one they can't hit us. Suppose we stop here, give
the horses another short rest, and you search the blackness back there
with your glasses again."

Will was able to discern nothing but the sombre crests of the swells,
and Boyd, dismounting, put his ear to the ground.

"I hear something moving," he said at last, and then, after a short
pause, "it's the beat of hoofs."

"Can they be so near as that?" asked Will in alarm.

"At first I thought it was the Sioux, but now I'm sure it's running
buffalo. I wonder why they're stampeding at this time of the night.
Maybe a hunting party of Northern Cheyennes has wandered in here and
knows nothing about the presence of the Sioux."

"That won't help us, since the Sioux and Northern Cheyennes are allies."

"No, it won't. If the Cheyennes meet the Sioux they'll join 'em in the
pursuit of us. It's a new danger and I don't like it."

Boyd remounted and they rode on slowly. Presently he stopped, and Will,
of course, stopped too.

"Listen, boy," he said, "and you'll hear the thunder of the buffalo.
It's a big herd and they're running our way. I'm as sure as I