Beers darted away, and almost immediately was detected the rapid moving to and fro, and the bustle of getting ready to start.
“Your orders are being obeyed,” said Hammond, addressing the lady, who still sat her horse beside him.
“It is well that they are,” she replied, with a sigh of relief; “the Blackfeet know that you are encamped here, and they have no reason to think you will not be here when they are ready to strike.”
“Do you know where they are?”
“Over that ridge of hills, several miles to the northward. They have been riding, throwing the tomahawk, and making every preparation for the great battle which is to come off to-morrow between them and the Cheyennes.”
“This, then, is only a diversion?”
“That is it; they naturally think that, as they find you in their way, they may as well indulge in a little preliminary practice.”
“We were fearing an attack, as we knew that there were a large number of Indians in our vicinity, and we heard the sound of your horse’s feet long before we heard you. Being thus warned and prepared, could we not have made a successful defense, with the shelter of these trees, which you probably know are very numerous about us?”
“No,” was the instant answer of Lamora; “if there were no more than a hundred Blackfeet, you might repel them; but a thousand would overwhelm you. There are sounds of preparation upon the part of your friends.”
“Yes; we shall soon be on the move.”