"It's awful," said the surgeon.
A trustworthy cook was called in, and all the butter and condensed milk which were open, or which showed signs of having been tampered with, were thrown away.
This put the soldiers on short rations so far as these commodities went, but nobody complained. Some suspected Bicker and Drossdell, and there was talk of a demand on the captain to have the traitors shot, but it came to nothing.
"What does this mean?" asked Joe, when he caught his brother in a quiet spot.
In a few words the young captain explained.
"You and Darry must say nothing," he concluded. "We will have our hands full as it is. The Indians are in this, but the drugging was not done by Mose the half-breed."
"When will you signal to the enemy?" asked Darry.
"This afternoon at four. That will give us at least two whole days—and a lot may happen in that time."
"If only the surgeon can bring some of the men out of their stupor," remarked Joe.
"He hopes to do so—now he knows more about the drugs used against them."