enough. Let us ride forward and fall upon them at once!"

"We'd be durned foolish to do so," responded Cully. "Thet, Mr Wilton,
'ud be jest the way to defeet all our plans an' purpisses. They'd see
us long afore we ked git sight o' them, an' maybe in time to run off all
the stolen hosses an' cattle, but sartinly the keptyves."

"What's your way, Cully?" interrogates a lieutenant of the Rangers.

"My way air to wait till the sun go down, then steal torst 'm. Thar
boun' to hev fires, an' thet'll guide us right into thar camp. Ef it's
in the Peecawn bottom, as I'm pretty sure it air, we kin surround 'em
eesy. Thar's bluffs a-both sides, an' we kin divide inter two lots--one
slippin' roun' an' comin' from up the creek, while t'other approaches
'em from below. In thet way we'll make sure o' keepin' 'em from runnin'
off the weemen; beside it'll gie us the more likelier chance to make a
good count o' the redskin sculps."

"What do you say, boys?" asks the Ranger captain, addressing himself
more especially to the men composing his command.

"Cully's right," is the response from a majority of voices.

"Then we must stay here till night. If we go forward now, they may see
us before we get within shooting distance. So you think, Cully, you can
take up the trail at night, supposing it to be a dark one?"

"Pish!" retorts the old prairie-man, with a disdainful toss of his head.

"Take up the trail o' a Tenawa Injun? I'd do that in the darkest night
as iver shet down over a prairie. The skunks! I ked smell the place
they'd passed over."

There is no further discussion. Cully's opinion is all-powerful, and
determines the course to be pursued. The halt intended to be temporary,
is to continue till near sunset, despite expostulations, almost
prayerful appeals, from those who have left desolate homes behind, and
who burn with impatience to ride forward and rescue their captive
kindred.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

THE SAVAGES SURPRISED.

Throughout the afternoon hours both parties remained stationary; the
pursued indulging in a siesta, which days of rough riding and raiding,
with nights of watchfulness, have made necessary; the pursuers, on their
part, wearied as well, but unable to sleep so long as their vengeance
remains unappeased, and such dread danger hangs over the heads of those
near and dear to them.

Above the bivouacs the black vultures spread their shadowy wings,
soaring and circling, each "gang" over