isiting again the scene of the train's
destruction in the pass, but Albert opposed it.

"No," he said, "I don't want to see that place."

This journey, they knew not whither, continued easy and pleasant
throughout the day. The grass was growing fast on the plains,
and all the little steams that wound now and then between the
swells were full of water, and, although they still carried the
filled water bags, Dick inferred that they were not likely to
suffer from thirst. Late in the afternoon they saw a small herd
of antelope and a lone buffalo grazing at a considerable
distance, and Dick drew the second and comforting inference that
game would prove to be abundant. He was so pleased with these
inferences that he stated them to Albert, who promptly drew a
third.

"Wouldn't the presence of buffalo and antelope indicate that
there are not many Indians hereabouts?" he asked.

"It looks likely," replied Dick.

They continued southward until twilight came, when they built in
a hollow a fire of buffalo chips, which were abundant all over
the plain, and watched their friendly mountains sink away in the
dark.

"Gives me a sort of homesick feeling," said Albert. "They've
been good mountains to us. Shelter and home are there, but out
here I feel as if I were stripped to the wind."

"That describes it," said Dick.

They did not keep any watch, but put out their fire and slept
snugly in their blankets. They were awakened in the morning by
the whine of a coyote that did not dare to come too near, and
resumed their leisurely march, to continue in this manner for
several days, meeting no human being either white or red.

They saw the mountains sink behind the sky line and then they
felt entirely without a rudder. There was nothing to go by now
except the sun, but they kept to their southern course. They
were not greatly troubled. They found plenty of game, as Dick
had surmised, and killed an antelope and a fat young buffalo cow.

"We may travel a long journey, Al," said Dick with some
satisfaction, "but it's not hard on us. It's more like loafing
along on an easy holiday."

On the fifth day they ran into a large buffalo herd, but did not
molest any of its members, as they did not need fresh meat.

"Seems to me," said Dick, "that Sioux would be after this herd if
they weren't busy elsewhere. It looks like more proof that the
Sioux are on the warpath and are to the eastward of us, fighting
our own people."

"