behind George Ackerman, whose fast-walking nag had
carried him some distance in advance of the squad, they saw him draw
rein all of a sudden and raise his hand with a warning gesture. Then he
backed his horse under cover of a convenient sandhill, and pulling his
field-glass from the case he carried slung over his shoulder, he
levelled it at some object that had attracted his attention, but which
could not be seen by the troopers.

Bob at once ordered a halt, and rode forward to inquire into the matter.
When he reached George's side he found himself on the outskirts of a
sort of basin in the plain, which looked as though it might have been
scooped out by the wind. It was covered with sand, and dotted here and
there with little bunches of yellow grass and weeds. On the opposite
side of this basin, which was perhaps a mile and a half wide, was a
single horseman, who was riding toward them at a rapid pace.

"I couldn't make out, at that distance, whether he was a friend or foe,
so I thought it best to warn you," said George.

"That was all right, of course. Can you make him out with your glass?"

"Very plainly. He's a soldier--one of Lieutenant Earle's men, probably."

"That's just who he is," exclaimed Bob after he had taken a look at the
horseman through the field-glass. "I know him. That signal-smoke we saw
just before we left the column was sent up to inform the captain that
Earle had despatched a courier to him with some important news, and now
we will find out what it is.--Come on, fellows," he added, waving his
hand to the squad; "it is one of our own company, boys."

Bob and his companion rode out in plain view, and a few seconds later
the troopers joined them. Their sudden appearance must have astonished
the approaching courier, and perhaps alarmed him too, for he pulled up
his horse with a jerk, and, shading his eyes with his hand, gazed at
them long and earnestly. They waved their caps to reassure him, and in a
few minutes he came up. The first words he uttered showed that he had
already had quite enough of scouting in the Staked Plains.

"Did anybody ever see so dreary a hole as this?" said he as he lifted
his cap and drew his handkerchief across his forehead--"nothing but
sandhills as far as you can see, and one looks so much like another that
a fellow don't know how to shape a course. It must be just fearful in
here when the wind blows.--I say, corporal, where am I? and what are you
doing out here?"