uff."

We shook hands all round, and then went out to see whether the volleys
of the rescuing party had inflicted any punishment upon the Navajos.
Two dead Indians lay near the cabin, and farther away the one that
had fallen when attempting to remove the obstacle before the log.
There were traces of others having been wounded.

A fire was promptly kindled outside the cabin, and we sat about it for
a time to rest and enjoy a lunch. The horses had been somewhat singed
about the legs, but were not disabled. An hour afterwards Sergeant
Cunningham placed Corporal Henry on his pony, Chiquita, and we started
for the valleys.

At daybreak the day after we left Jemez we reached camp, and on the
evening of the same day the detachment we had left behind for a rest
also arrived, without adventure on the march. Cordova and his son at
once set out on the trail of the Navajos, whom we reported to be in
possession of their animals, to ascertain why they were in our
vicinity.

After four days' scouting the Mexicans returned with the information
that they found the Indians had left their camp on the Jemez road
after their defeat. They had struck straight through the hills for the
Rio Grande, where they joined the main body, the same which had
attacked us the day after our arrival in the valleys, and which had
recently made several successful raids on the flocks and herds near
Pena Blanca and Galisteo.

It was the guide's opinion that the party which had besieged me in the
cabin had been to the valleys to see what chance there was of running
captured stock through there. Their report must have been favorable,
for Cordova said a detachment of forty-seven Navajos was now encamped
in Los Vallecitos, apparently intending to pass us the following night
with a large number of cattle, horses, mules, and sheep.

I began at once to make preparations to retake the stolen stock and to
capture the Navajos.

That the Navajos, if they were watching our movements, might not
surmise we knew of their presence near us, I ordered the scouting
party and huntsmen not to go out next morning, and all the men to keep
within the limits of the parade.

The next evening I marched all the company, except the guard,
including the boy corporals, by way of the reserved trail into the
valley of St. Anthony, and entered La Puerta from the western end.
This was done for fear some advance-guard of the redmen might witness
our movement if we went by the usual way