join his friends. It was
too dark to follow any trail, and indeed there was no call to do so. Had
nothing interfered, he knew the neighborhood of the spot where he would
find the boys, and he hastened toward it. Even if he went somewhat
astray, it would be no difficult matter to open communication with them.

The stream in which Jack and Otto had such rare sport scarcely checked
the progress of the Shawanoe, but when a short while after, he caught
the glimpse of a camp-fire on the slope of the ridge, he was displeased;
for it showed a degree of recklessness in them that he could not excuse.
If they chose to encamp there, they ought to have known better than to
turn it into a beacon light to guide the hostiles for miles around.

With an expression of displeasure, Deerfoot hastened his footsteps, and
reached camp sooner than he or his young friends anticipated. It can be
understood that the surprise was great on the part of all.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

CONCLUSION.

It was a surprising discovery for Jack Carleton and Otto Relstaub when
they learned that the solitary Sauk warrior who welcomed them to his
camp, had in his possession the horse belonging to the German lad, for
which they had sought so long in vain.

"Mine gracious!" exclaimed Otto, when they seated themselves again by
the fire; "if we gots him, won't it be shust too good!"

"Then I suppose your father and mother will be satisfied."

"Yaw--but holds on!" he added, looking down at his clothing; "I have
torn my trowsers shust a little, and dot will gif dem de oxcuse to whip
me."

"No; they will be too glad to get the colt back to mind such a small
thing as that; but isn't it one of the strangest things in the world
that this Sauk should find and bring him all the way through the woods
and across streams and prairies to this point, and then that we should
come upon him."

"It peats everydings," replied Otto; "but he can't told us how he didn't
do it."

"No; we shall have to wait till Deerfoot comes; he can talk the Sauk
tongue and it won't take him long to find out the whole story."

The boys felt so little misgiving about entrusting themselves to the
care of the stranger, that when they began to feel drowsy they stretched
out on the blanket, with their backs against each other, and went to
sleep.

An hour later, just as the Sauk was on the point of also turning in for
the night, Deerfoot made his appearance. His coming was a surprise to
the war