did his work faithfully, and seemed never to be sick or to feel
tired.

By the end of the fourth week the wagon-train had entered a country
where the Indians were known to be on the war-path, and trouble was
expected. They even found the remains of three partly burned
wagons.

Great care was now taken to send scouts ahead during the day and to
prepare the camp for defense at night.

The first thing that was done as soon as the stop was made for the
night was to "park" all the wagons, as they called it. The big
ox-carts were placed in a great circle and chained one to another.
Sometimes the cattle were picketed outside, to graze, with men
armed with guns to watch them, and sometimes they were driven
inside. But always the camp-fires were built in the circle, and
round them the different families gathered to cook and eat their
supper.

One night, when the wagons had been parked and every one had eaten
supper and gone to sleep, Old Mustard began to act very strangely.
At first he tossed his head and blew hard through his nostrils;
then he began to move about uneasily as far as his rope would let
him, and to snort and paw the ground.

When one of the guards went near him he turned upon him a pair of
eyes that were bright green and shiny. At last Mr. Harding happened
to think what the trader had told him.