standing guard to-night?"

"Certainly I do," replied I. "It's always best to be on the safe side.
Why not exercise the same precaution to-night that we have since we left
San Antonio? It is impossible to tell how near Indians may be, or when
they will attack us. Travellers on the plains should be prepared for any
emergency."

"True as preachin'," interrupted old Jerry. "They ain't so very fur off,
either. I've seen 'em signalin' all the afternoon, and signalin' allers
means bizness with them red varmints. If we don't see 'em to-night, we
shall afore a great while, and I think--"

"Never mind what you think," interrupted Hal, saucily. "You are always
imagining things that never come to pass. I guess you've been pretty
badly scared some time by Indians."

"Wal, young man, when you've travelled over these plains as many years as
I hev, maybe you'll know more about Injuns than you do now, and maybe you
won't," rejoined Jerry, in a tone of contempt, as he slowly moved away in
the direction of the herd.

Asking Jerry to make sure that the animals were properly secured, I threw
myself down on Hal's blanket, and gazed into the fire.

Jerry and the boys soon returned, saying that the animals were perfectly
safe; but somehow I found it impossible to rid myself of the impression
made by Jerry's casual remark. Calling him to me, I asked him more
particularly about the signals he had seen. His answer did not relieve my
uneasiness, for he said,--