white
men.

Other treasures were several boxes of crackers, about twenty
boxes of sardines, three flasks of brandy, suitable for illness,
a heavy riding cloak, a Virginia ham, two boxes of matches, a
small iron skillet, and an empty tin canteen. He might have
searched further, but he realized that time was passing, and that
Albert must be on the verge of starvation. He had forgotten his
own hunger in the excitement of seek and find, but it came back
now and gnawed at him fiercely. Yet he would not touch any of
the food. No matter how great the temptation he would not take a
single bite until Albert had the same chance.

He now made all his treasures into one great package, except the
buffalo robe. That was too heavy to add to the others, and he
tied it among the boughs of a pine, where the wolves could not
reach it. Then, with the big pack on his back, he began the
return. It was more weight than he would have liked to carry at
an ordinary time, but now in his elation he scarcely felt it. He
went rapidly up the slope and by the middle of the afternoon was
going down the other side.

As he approached the pine alcove he whistled a familiar tune,
popular at the time--"Silver Threads Among the Gold." He knew
that Albert, if he were there--and he surely must be there--would
recognize his whistle and come forth. He stopped, and his heart
hammered for a moment, but Albert's whistle took up the second line
of the air and Albert himself came forth jauntily.

"We win, Al, old boy!" called Dick. "Just look at this pack!"

"I can't look at anything else," replied Albert in the same joyful
tones. "It's so big that I don't see you under it. Dick, have
you robbed a treasure ship?"

"No, Al," replied Dick, very soberly. "I haven't robbed a
treasure ship, but I've been prowling with success over a lost
battlefield--a ghoul I believe they call such a person, but it
had to be done. I've enough food here to last a week at least,
and we may find more."

He put down his pack and took out the bacon. As Albert looked at
it he began unconsciously to clinch and unclinch his teeth. Dick
saw his face, and, knowing that the same eager look was in his
own, he laughed a little.

"Al," he said, "you and I know now how wolves often feel, but
we're not going to behave like wolves. We're going to light a
fire and cook this bacon. We'll take the risk of the flame or
smoke being seen by Sioux. In so vast a country the chanc