"You don't mean it?" said Peter eagerly, and standing erect as he spoke. "Come on, then, John; we'll start this minute."
"Boy go; Indian no go."
"Why not? I thought you were going with me."
"John no go. John no home, no papoose, no notin'. All white man now. All gone. Indian no stay. Boy go."
"All right, John; I won't urge you. But if you're right, and Benzeor isn't at home, you needn't be afraid."
The Indian's eyes snapped at the words, but he made no reply, and Little Peter was too eager to start now to realize the force of his own words. As he departed, he saw his recent companion standing on the bank of the brook in an attitude as if he were listening to sounds far off in the forest. Perhaps if the lad had realized that it was the last time he would ever behold the face of Indian John, he would have lingered longer; but, as it was, his desire to go to Benzeor's house and learn of the present condition of the children banished all other thoughts from his mind, and in a few moments he had started toward the road.
He retraced his way across the open lot, and as he came within sight of the road he suddenly stopped, as he saw a mounted man there. Apparently the man was alone, and what was strange was the fact that he apparently was not moving.
Little Peter waited several minutes, but as the man still retained his position, and no one joined him, he resolved to proceed. Approaching cautiously, and ready to run at the first appearance of danger, his surprise was increased as he beheld the strange manner in which the horseman was seated on his beast. Instead of sitting with his face toward the head of his steed, his position was exactly reversed, and to all appearances he either was going in a direction opposite to that of his horse or else was riding backward.
Puzzled to account for the strange attitude, Peter also noticed as he approached that the beast on which the man was mounted was a mule and had stopped in the middle of the road. In a moment he recognized the man as Ted Wilson, and with a shout he ran forward.
"Why, my lad, what are you doing here?" exclaimed Ted, as he beheld the approaching boy.