earlier in the day--helloa!"

While speaking to himself, he became aware that the warriors were
invisible. They may have believed they were acting as oscillating
targets for some hidden enemy, who was likely to press the trigger
at any moment; and, unable even to approximate as they were his
biding-place, they withdrew in their characteristic fashion.

Jack thrust his head still further from behind the tree, and finally
stepped forth that he might obtain the best view he could. But the
red men had vanished like the shadows of swiftly-moving clouds.
Nothing more was to be feared from that source.

But with the lifting of the peril from his own shoulders, there
returned his distressing anxiety for his absent companion. No doubt
could exist that when he put his horse to his hurried flight, he had
done so to escape the Indians. Whether he had succeeded remained to
be learned, but Jack felt that every probability was against it.

He might well debate as to his own duty in the premises. His one
desire was to learn what had become of Otto, the German lad, with
whom he left the Settlements a couple of days before. Neither had
ever visited this section, but they were following the instructions
of those who had, and the young Kentuckian knew the precise point in
their journey that had been reached.

Standing as motionless as the trees beside him and amid the
darkening shadows, Jack Carleton listened with the intentness of an
Indian scout stealing into a hostile camp.