"Ugh!" grunted the chief. "Him say you must go. Him shoot! No hurt paleface boy."
Tad hesitated. His inclination was to put spurs to Pink-eye and dash away. He did not fear the chief's revolver so much for himself. He did fear, however, that the chief might shoot his pony from under him, which would leave the boy in a worse predicament still.
"All right, I'll go with you. But I warn you the first white man I see, I'll tell him you are taking me away."
"Ugh!"
"If he shoots, I don't see how he can help hurting me," added the lad to himself, with a mirthless grin.
"Bymeby, boy go back with paleface friends."
"That's what I expect to do. But if Luke Larue finds out you have taken me away against my will, he'll do some shooting before the big chief gets a chance to. Where are you taking me to?"
Shrugs of the shoulders was all the answer that Tad could get, so he decided to make the best of his position and escape at the first opportunity. Keeping his eyes on the alert he followed along without further protest.
Once, as they ascended a sudden rise of ground on the gallop, he discovered two horsemen on beyond them about half a mile as near as he was able to judge.
Evidently the Indians saw them at the same instant, for they changed their course and went off into the rougher lands to the left.