They were but a few hundred yards from the trees, and in a very short time the Indian returned.
"Men are gone," he said; "only squaws and boys there."
"How many lodges are there?" the chief asked. Hunting Dog held up both hands with extended fingers, and then one finger only.
"Eleven of them," Jerry said. "I expect they are all small villages, and they move their lodges across into the forests when winter comes on."
As soon as they had mounted, the chief put his horse into a canter, and at this pace they went forward for some hours, breaking into a walk occasionally for a few minutes.
"I thought you said we should not go beyond a walk to-night, Jerry," Tom remarked on the first of these occasions.
"That is what we kinder agreed, lad; but you may be sure the chief has some good reason for going on faster. I dunno what it is, and I ain't going to ask. Red-skins hate being questioned. If he wants to tell us he will tell us without being asked."
A faint light was stealing over the sky when the chief halted his horse and sat listening. No sound, however, broke the stillness of the night.
"Did you think you heard anything, chief?"
"Leaping Horse heard nothing, but he stopped to listen. What does my white brother think of the 'Rappahoes having gone on directly they returned from the chase?"