He knew that resistance against such a force, and with his own limited supply of food and water, would be downright folly. So when the chief appeared before the rocks, just as the sun was rising, he went out to meet him, and shook hands with him.
"Me come down to water, eat something," said the chief, in what seemed a hospitable spirit.
Sam went out to meet the chief and shook hands with him.
Sam, Ike, and Wah Shin took up their bundles and with the dog, went back to the spring.
Here to their amazement and horror they found Ulna lying near the fire with his hands and feet bound.
[CHAPTER XXVIII.—A BOLD MOVE.]
We have already seen that Sam was cool and brave, and such characters but rarely act from impulse. Yet there are times when impulse is more effective than all the calm reasoning in the world, and this was one of them.
On the way to the spring with Blanco, Sam felt very nervous. He did not have much faith in the chief's profession of friendship for the whites, and from what he remembered of Hank Tims' stories about the Apaches, he believed them to be a very treacherous and bloodthirsty people.
But the sight of Ulna, prostrate and bound, scattered all Sam's fears and indecision to the winds.