riding all that afternoon, and the next morning by daybreak were again
on the track, which they followed to the banks of a wide but shallow
stream. There they saw the remains of a fire. One of the brothers thrust
his hand among the ashes, which were still warm. They crossed the river;
and, in the soft sand on the opposite bank, saw again the print of
small, moccasined footsteps. Here they were at a loss; for the rank
prairie-grass had been consumed by one of those fearful fires so common
in the prairies, and in its stead grew short, sweet herbage, where even
an Indian's eye could observe no trace. They were on the point of
abandoning the pursuit, when Richard, the younger of the two, called his
brother's attention to Nero, who had, of his own accord, left his
mistress to accompany them, an if he now understood what they were
about. The hound was trotting to and fro, with his nose to the ground,
as if endeavoring to pick out a cold scent Edward laughed at his
brother, and pointed to the track of a deer that had come to drink at
the river. At last he agreed to follow Nero, who was now cantering
slowly across the prairie. The pace gradually increased, until, on a
spot where the grass had grown more luxuriantly than elsewhere, Nero
threw up his nose, gave a deep bay, and started off at so furious a
pace, that, although well mounted, they had great difficulty in keeping
up with him. He soon brought them to the borders of another forest,
where, finding it impossible to take their horses further, they tethered
them to a tree, and set off again on foot. They lost sight of the hound,
but still, from time to time, heard his loud baying far away. At last
they fancied it sounded nearer instead of becoming less distinct; and of
this they were soon convinced. They still went on in the direction
whence the sound proceeded, until they saw Nero sitting with his
fore-paws against the trunk of a tree, no longer mouthing like a
well-trained hound, but yelling like a fury. They looked up in the tree,
but could see nothing, until, at last, Edward espied a large hollow