killed not long and stripped of its meat. A little further on they saw
another and then two more.

"That tells it," said the Panther succinctly. "These buffaloes were
killed for food an' most likely by Mexicans. It was the shots that set
the herd to runnin'. The men who killed 'em are not far away, an' I'm
not a Ring Tailed Panther an' a Cheerful Talker if they don't belong to
Urrea's band."

"Isn't that a light?" said Ned, pointing to the west, "or is it a
firefly or something of the kind?"

A glowing spark was just visible over the plain, but as it neither moved
nor went out the three concluded that it was made by a distant fire.

"I think it's in chaparral or among trees," said Obed, "or we would see
it more plainly. It's a poor camp fire that hides its light under a
bushel."

"I think you're right an' it must be chaparral," said the Panther. "But
we'll ride toward it an' soon answer our own questions."

The light was more than a mile away and, as they advanced slowly, they
saw it grow in size and intensity. It was surely a campfire, but no
sound that they could yet hear came from it. They did not expect to hear
any. If it was indeed Urrea and his men they would probably be sleeping
soundly, not expecting any foe to be near. The Panther now dismounted,
and the other two did likewise.

"No need to show too high above the plain," he said, "an' if we have to