to it."

"How did you recognize it as the place?" asked Stella.

"By the tree across the river, and by the bluffs, and the turn of the
river. Oh, I know it. You can't fool Indian on signs like that."

The boys were standing around listening eagerly, for this was the first
time they had heard of the "mother gold." Briefly Ted related the story
told by Singing Bird about the gold in the river, and how her father
found the mother lode.

"I'm fer gettin' thar as soon as we kin," said Bud Morgan. "Whenever I
smell gold I git tired o' ther smell o' cows."

"Looks good to me," said Ben.

"Me, too," said Kit, and the other boys raised a shout for the mother
lode and the excitement of finding gold.

"But the cattle?" asked Ted.

"We'll drive them down into this valley, where part of the force can
easily watch them, while the other part is engaged in the fascinating
sport of gold hunting. Me for the gold." Thus Stella delivered herself,
and that seemed to settle it.

Accordingly the cattle were driven down from the plain and into the
beautiful grassy valley, with the Missouri flowing at the foot of it.
Then they pitched their camp.

Singing Bird had gone into the woods on an exploring mission to find, if
she could, the grave in which her father had buried her mother the day
after the fight with the white miners, and had been gone an hour or
more, when she came hurrying back, trembling like an aspen.

Rushing up to Ted, she fell at his feet.

"What's the matter now?" he asked, in a kindly way.

"I have seen him," she cried. "Save me! Save me!"

"Whom have you seen?" asked Ted.

"Running Bear. I go into the woods, and I see moccasin tracks; fresh
ones. They are large and new, made this day. I run away from them. Then
I see an Indian hiding behind the trees, always following me, and I
turned and ran for the camp. He followed me until he saw the camp, when
he turned and ran the other way."

"Are you sure it was Running Bear?"

"Oh, yes, I am sure. I know Running Bear. He was my husband."

"Well, do not be afraid. Running Bear will not hurt you. But don't go
away from the camp."

Ted told the boys that the Indian was on their trail, looking for the
mine himself, but that he would probably track them until they found it,
and then try to take it from them by pressing to his service a band of
Indians, which he could very well do.

When Stella went to look for Singing Bird that evening she could not be
found. The