Once again this chief stood between the hunters and the savages, who
wanted but a signal to fall on them. There was a long palaver, which
ended in Henri being set at liberty and the rifle being restored.

That evening, as the three friends sat beside their fire eating their
supper of boiled maize and buffalo meat, they laughed and talked as
carelessly as ever; but the gaiety was assumed, for they were at the
time planning their escape from a tribe which, they foresaw, would
not long refrain from carrying out their wishes, and robbing, perhaps
murdering them.

"Ye see," said Joe with a perplexed air, while he drew a piece of live
charcoal from the fire with his fingers and lighted his pipe--"ye see,
there's more difficulties in the way o' gettin' off than ye think--"

"Oh, nivare mind de difficulties," interrupted Henri, whose wrath at
the treatment he had received had not yet cooled down. "Ve must jump
on de best horses ve can git hold, shake our fists at de red reptiles,
and go away fast as ve can. De best hoss _must_ vin de race."

Joe shook his head. "A hundred arrows would be in our backs before we
got twenty yards from the camp. Besides, we can't tell which are the
best horses. Our own are the best in my 'pinion, but how are we to
git' em?"

"I know who has charge o' them," said Dick. "I saw them grazing near
the tent o' that poor squaw whose baby was saved by Crusoe. Either her
husband looks after them or some neighbours."