ot on the side of
those who know the most. The scout would have given anything he
possessed if he had been fortunate enough to perform the exploit that
George assisted in performing before two days more had passed over his
head.

Bob Owens did not fail to notice that there was not the least semblance
of a trail to be seen anywhere. They had left it at the ruins of Mr.
Wentworth's rancho, and he waited with no little impatience to see where
they would pick it up again. He found out about sunset, for at that time
the column reached the banks of a small water-course, and there they
struck the trail, which was so broad and plain that it could be followed
at a gallop. George, in company with some of the officers and the scout,
spent a few minutes in looking it over, and then rode back to report the
result of his observations to Bob Owens.

"There are not many warriors in the party," said he, "but they are so
well supplied with horses that they can have a fresh mount every day if
they want it."

"How do you know that?" asked Bob.

"Because I saw their tracks," replied George.

"That's not explicit enough. I suppose you did see the tracks of the
horses, and so did I; but how in the world is a fellow going to tell
whether or not those horses had riders on their backs? _That's_
something that can't be done."

"Don't be too sure of that. Look here! Would you believe it if I should
tell you that those Indians passed along here after daylight on Thursday
morning?"

"No, I wouldn't," replied Bob bluntly. He could not, for the life of
him, understand how anybody could draw such conclusions as these by
simply looking at the print of a pony's hoofs in the grass; and if he
had not been so well acquainted with George he would have inclined to
the belief that his friend was "spreading it on" in order to make
himself out a wonderful trailer. "I can't make head or tail of this
business, and I don't believe you can, either; that is, I mean I don't
see how you can."

"Well, listen while I explain," said George good-naturedly. "In the
first place, I noticed, while we were passing through that belt of
post-oaks back there, that some of the horses left a very devious
trail, passing through thick bushes and under trees whose branches were
so low that they would have swept a rider out of his saddle if he had
not been on the alert to avoid them. Those horses were all loose."

"Perhaps not," exclaimed Bob. "The Indians might have passed