"What can this mean?" demanded the agitated parent. "I must investigate it. We will leave the horses here while we go back with him."
The mother was as anxious to meet her son and Larry, and they quickly made ready to start.
CHAPTER XXX.
ALL TOGETHER.
Brigham Edwards stopped short on hearing the signal of Kenton, and he and his wife held themselves ready to repulse any attack from the Indians, whom they knew to be in the neighborhood. Red Crow did a little thing which won the confidence of the couple, who could not help regarding him at first with suspicion: he placed himself directly in front, with his bow and arrow ready for use.
The little party was not kept long in suspense. From among the trees strode the athletic figure of the famous scout, who, at that time, was in his magnificent prime. Directly behind him walked Wharton Edwards and Larry Murphy.
At the sight of her son, the mother forgot everything else. Dropping her rifle to the ground, she ran forward with the exclamation:
"Wharton! my darling boy!"
"Oh, mother, my dearest mother!"