teal a horse!" exclaimed the
horrified Jack.

"Certainly not--certainly not," the principal man of the settlement
hastened to say, "I don't believe you could be persuaded to do such a
thing--that is if the owner was looking."

"We couldn't be persuaded to do such a thing _under any circumstances_,"
exclaimed Jack, his face flushing over the idea that any one who knew
him should suspect him capable of such a crime.

"See here," said the colonel, dropping his voice and stepping in front
of them, "you tell me you are going after a horse. Have you the money
with you to buy one?"

"No; we cannot get one _that_ way."

"I judged not; how then do you propose to obtain him?"

"Toby, the colt belonging to Otto's father, is wandering in the woods
not very far away----"

"How do you know he is?" interrupted the colonel.

"Why, he was doing so only a few days ago."

"That is no proof that he is keeping it up; in fact it is scarcely
possible that such is the case. Recollect, my boy, that several tribes
of Indians hunt through this portion of Louisiana, and they would be
much quicker than you to observe the trail of a horse wearing an iron
shoe; they would be inquiring enough also to investigate for themselves,
and, when they came upon the colt, they would snap him up quicker than
lightning."

The boys felt that somehow or other the wonderful young Shawanoe would
appear at the right moment and lend them the help which they were
certain to need. Should he fail to do so, they could no more recapture
and take the colt to his owner than they could penetrate into the Dark
and Bloody Ground and bring back the great war chief Tecumseh as a
prisoner.

But neither Colonel Martin nor any one in the village knew anything
about the extraordinary Indian youth, and, while Jack was asking himself
whether he should linger long enough to explain the situation, the
gentleman relieved them from the embarrassment by a hearty slap on the
shoulder of Jack, and the exclamations:

"I was once a boy myself! I haven't forgotten that jolly time: we
always liked to have some sort of excuse when we went off on a frolic.
You see what a lot of work there is to do in clearing the ground and
getting it ready for cultivation; you would much rather be hunting and
rambling through the woods; I can't say I blame you, so off with you,
and when you come back with word that the horse was mean enough to keep
out of your way, why we won't be too hard on you."