Looking about them, they presently found a narrow passageway between two big rocks, and then moved onward as before, until they reached a tiny watercourse, running in the direction of the lake. They were now out of breath because of their exertions and sank down on some flat rocks to rest.
"Stay here, I'm going to look around a bit," said Barringford, presently, and slipped through the brushwood like a snake.
Ten minutes passed, and Dave waited impatiently for the old frontiersman to return. Then he arose and began to look around himself. A tree was handy and he climbed this.
From the top of the tree he could get an excellent view of the surrounding country. From one point he turned his gaze to another, but beheld nothing out of the ordinary. The camp of the Indians was hidden from view.
He was about to descend again, when a distant shot reached him. Then Barringford burst into view, followed by eight or ten Indians. Dave saw the old frontiersman fall headlong, and in a minute more the red men completely surrounded him and made him their prisoner.
CHAPTER XX
DEEP IN THE WILDERNESS
The fact that Sam Barringford had been captured by the Indians filled Dave with consternation. He had fully expected that the old frontiersman would be able to evade the red men and return to where he had started from without much difficulty.
"Poor Sam," he murmured, as he saw his old friend surrounded and made a prisoner. "This is the worst yet!"
Not knowing what to do, Dave remained in the tree. He saw one of the red men appropriate Barringford's rifle and horn, and another snatched the coonskin cap from the old frontiersman's head. Then the captive was led away, out of sight.