his way up with the horses, and, running now at the top of their speed,
they were among them before the Indians issued from the gorge.

The fugitives went on at a slower pace among the trees, until they heard
a war-whoop, and knew that the leading Indians had passed out.

"Now throw yourselves down," Dave said, "and just lie as still as
mice--the slightest noise would tell them we had taken to the wood. We
want them to go straight on for a bit."

In four or five minutes they heard the tramping of horses, and a party
of Indians rode down the valley.

"There are over fifty of them," Dave whispered. "I expect the other two
bands must have come up together. Now let us get up as high as we can.
As long as they are galloping they won't hear any little noise we may
make, but mind how you go, lads. Don't step on a twig, don't brush
against any dead wood that might crack, and mind you don't set a stone
rolling."

They climbed for ten minutes, and then came to a spot where they had a
view through the trees down the valley.

"There they are in a heap about a mile down," Joe said, and the boys in
the moonlight could see a dark mass gathered in the middle.

"They are having a talk over it," Dave said; "they know if we held on
down the valley they would have overtaken us by this time, and they know
we have taken to the wood one side or the other. I recken they won't
think it any use searching for us to-night, but maybe they will go