As the day wore rapidly away, and he still failed to see or hear
anything of his friends, he finally concluded to get out and make an
examination of the ravine.

Accordingly he sprung lightly to the ground, but had scarcely alighted
when a peculiar signalsomething resembling a tremulous whistlereached
his ear, and he instantly clambered back again, fully satisfied that
the whistle was intended as a signal, and that it concerned him,
although whether from friend or foe he could only conjecture.

However, his alarm was such that he moved a hundred yards or so
further away from the ravine, where there was less likelihood of being
surprised by any sudden rush upon the part of the thieving red-skins.

From this standpoint he carefully scanned what could be seen of the
ravine. It descended quite gradually from the edge of the bank, so
that he gained a partial view of the rocks and bowlders upon the
opposite side. Some of the trees growing in the narrow valley rose to
such a height that one-half or two-thirds of them were exposed to
view.

It was while the boy was gazing at these that he detected a peculiar
movement in one of the limbs, which instantly arrested his attention.

A moment showed him that the peculiar waving motion was made by human
agency, and he strained his eyes in the hope of detecting the cause of
the curious movement.

The gathering darkness made his vision quite uncertain; but he either