t once to destroy his friends.

The report of Tim O'Rooney's gun that slew the antelope sounded
fearfully near, and sent a shiver of terror through the youngster
crouching in his hiding-place. At the same time, as he looked stealthily
out, he saw that it had attracted the attention of the Indians. All five
were standing on their feet, with their loose blankets hung over their
shoulders, and gesticulating with their arms. The sound of their voices
was plainly heard where he stood, and a thrill of hope ran through him
as he imagined that he recognised in one of them a resemblance to that
of Shasta, the Pah Utah.

At this point the boy observed the storm gathering overhead--the sullen
booming of thunder, the black clouds sweeping tumultuously across the
sky, the vivid spears of lightning darting in and out among them. A cool
wind whistled through the gorge overhead, and dust and leaves came
whirling in the air and settled all around him.

The boy looked above, and saw that when the storm did burst it was sure
to spend its full fury upon his head. Not the least particle of shelter
covered him, and he had to expect a full drenching; but this he was
willing to bear, if it would only tend to keep the attention of the
Indians diverted. It seemed to him very probable, as he stood between
them and his own friends, that in following up the suspicious report of
the rifle they would pass directly by him, in which case he had about
one chance out of a thousand of remaining unseen by them.

Elwood did not dare to look out, so fearful was he of being seen. He
believed that the heads of the savages were turned toward him, in which
case the risk was too great. He therefore, unheedful of the large drops
that were beginning to patter around him, stood and listened.

Hark! He hears their tread! His heart throbs faster than ever, as he
knows they are coming toward him! Closer and closer he shrinks to the
rock, as if to bury himself in its flinty surface.

All at once, an Indian, too tall and muscular to be Shasta, steps to
view and passes beyond him without turning his head; the second is about
the right height, but the one furtive glance stole at him shows that he
is a stranger; so as regards the third; the fourth is too short, he
passes on in the procession. The fifth and last Elwood at first believed
to be Shasta, but a second look showed him his mistake. Had he held any
doubts they were removed by the Indian abruptly pausing, turnin