ters of the
Ozark, I see no objection if we are a few days behind the rest in
reaching the beaver runs."

"Oblige me by tistifying to the same," said Terry, rather effusively,
shoving his hand toward his friend, who suspended operations with the
fish long enough to salute him.

The breakfast was quickly finished, and the boys helped each other with
their knapsacks, caught up their guns and followed Deerfoot as he led
the way back to the trail. He did not hint any thing about their failure
to keep guard for him the night before, though they felt sure that they
would hear from him at some time not very far distant.

When they found themselves following the path that had become so
familiar, they glanced furtively behind, half expecting to hear the
Winnebago war whoop and to see the warriors rushing after them; but not
a living soul beside themselves was in sight, and the quiet assurance of
their leader very nearly removed all such fear from them.

"Are there any more streams to cross?" asked Fred, a moment after they
started along the trail.

"There are none."

"That is good, and since we are several hours in advance of the Indians,
we ought to be able to reach the cabin in time to give them warning,
that is, if they are in need of it."

"How can they help being in need?" asked Terry.

"The horses were turned loose to look after themselves, and though I
can't know for some time how it is, it seems to me that it could well
happen that they would not miss the animals for several days and
possibly not for a week or two."

The best ground for doubting that the Hunters of the Ozark were aware of
the theft of the horses was the fact that there had been no pursuit.
Those men, it is safe to say, would not have stayed idle had they known
that three vagabond Indians were astride of their property and riding to
the northward. With the three fleeter animals at command, they would
have been after them in a twinkling: they would not have been obliged to
wait till they met Fred Linden before receiving some rifle shots.

Fred was confirmed in this theory by Deerfoot, who declared that such
was his explanation of the failure of the hunters to pursue the thieves.

For two hours the trail which they were following steadily ascended,
until they were considerably higher than when they left camp in the
morning. The undergrowth was abundant, and the wood in some places was
so dense that they could see only a short distance on either