“I only ask for three men.”
“You may take any three who are willing to follow you. If you succeed, I suppose you will join us at the rendezvous.”
“I hardly dare to hope for success. I can only say that I will do my best.”
When Laurie and Benning returned to the trappers, they found them inquiring what Indians they were that had made the attack.
“They were Blackfeet, I suppose,” said Benning. “How can there be any doubt about it?”
“Easy enough, cap’n,” replied Byers. “Do Blackfeet wear Crow blankets and moccasins?”
“No.”
“We have found a Crow blanket and a Crow moccasin on this yere ground, and that settles the p’int, I reckon.”
“But the Crows are the friends of the white men, and never attack them.”