e of the Indian was lost among the wagons, and Dick
turned his attention to the trail. The cooling waves continued
to roll up, as the west reddened into a brilliant sunset. Great
bars of crimson, then of gold, and the shades in between, piled
above one another on the horizon. The plains lost their brown,
and gleamed in wonderful shimmering tints. The great desolate
world became beautiful.

The train stopped with a rumble, a creak, and a lurch, and the
men began to unharness the animals. Albert awoke with a start
and sat up in the wagon.

"Night and the camp, Al," said Dick cheerfully; "feel better,
don't you?

"Yes, I do," replied Albert, as a faint color came into his face.

"Thought the rest and the coolness would brace you up," continued
Dick in the same cheerful tone.

Albert, a tall, emaciated boy with a face of great refinement and
delicacy, climbed out of the wagon and looked about. Dick busied
himself with the work of making camp, letting Albert give what
help he could.

But Dick always undertook to do enough for two--his brother and
himself--and he really did enough for three. No other was so
swift and skillful at taking the gear off horse or mule, nor was
there a stronger or readier arm at the wheel when it was
necessary to complete the circle of wagons that they nightly
made. When this was done, he went out on the prairie in search
of buffalo chips for the fire, which he was fortunate enough to
find without any trouble.

Before returning with his burden, Dick stood a few moments
looking back at the camp. The dusk had fully come, but the fires
were not yet lighted, and he saw only the shadowy forms of the
wagons and flitting figures about them. But much talked reached
his ears, most of it coarse and rough, with a liberal sprinkling
of oaths. Dick sighed. His regret was keener than ever that
Albert and he were in such company. Then he looked the other
way out upon the fathomless plains, where the night had gathered,
and the wind was moaning among the swells. The air was now chill
enough to make him shiver, and he gazed with certain awe into the
black depths. The camp, even with all its coarseness and
roughness, was better, and he walked swiftly back with his load
of fuel.

They built a dozen fires within the circle of the wagons, and
again Dick was the most active and industrious of them all, doing
his share, Albert's, and something besides. When the fires were
lighted they burned