until at last her eyelids
closed heavily, and she too was asleep. Not so soundly as Ni-ha-be,
for many strange dreams came to her, and all she could remember of them
was the very last and latest of all.

It was just like the picture which Many Bears had spoken about the day
before, only that now the miners did not look like that, and Rita in
her dream actually thought she saw Many Bears himself among the Indians
who were attacking them.

"He said he was there. I see him. They are coming! The squaw I saw
in the book! Mother!"

And suddenly Rita found herself wide awake, and all the rest of her
dream was lost to her.

Ni-ha-be too was awake.

"What is the matter, Rita?"

"Oh, a dream!"

"Ugh! I never dream. That's the talking leaves. Dreams are big lies
like them. What was it?"

"The fight in the picture."

"Miners? Pale-faces? Look, Rita, the braves are mounting to ride
away. It is hardly sunrise, but they are going. Did your dream say
there was any danger coming to us?"

"No, it did not say."

"I don't care. The Apaches are warriors, and Many Bears is a great
chief. He will not let an enemy come near his camp."

"Besides, we can cross the river."

"Yes, by my ford."

"Ni-ha-be, remember what came to Too Many Toes!"

"She talked too much--when the chief and the braves were troubled in
their minds. I know better than to do that. I'll talk to you, though.
It's my ford!"

Mother Dolores was already busy at the nearest camp-fire, for she had
not allowed the great chief to ride away without a nice bit of
something to eat. Meaner braves could go hungry or pick a cold bone as
they rode along. Not so the mighty husband of Dolores, the best cook
of the Apaches. She knew too well where all her importance and dignity
came from, and Many Bears was particularly glad to get his hot
venison-steak that morning. No orders were left behind with reference
to moving the camp, but all the second-rate braves and half-grown boys
were busying themselves over their weapons and ponies with as much
importance in their manner as if they had been so many chiefs.

Some of them were well armed with repeating-carbines and good
revolvers. Others had old and inferior guns. Many of the "boys" had
nothing but bows and arrows, but they knew how to use them, and there
is nothing much more effective in a close fight. Nothing except a
revolver or a lance, and they all had lances.

On the whole, it was clear tha