Straining every muscle in an effort to breathe naturally, like one asleep, the boy counted the seconds while he waited for the clutch of a savage hand. And as the moment passed and the attack did not come he tried to speculate on what the strangers were doing. A guttural half exclamation soon allowed him a quick breath of temporary relief. The Indians were only after their supplies.
The savages had found the half-concealed packs of the two boys. Alan knew this by the location of the sounds that now came to him, and then, as the prowlers withdrew again into the open and the faint moonlight, it could be seen that they were bearing all the belongings of the two lads. For perhaps ten minutes Alan lay without moving and watched the Indians. He could make out that they were hastily looking over the packs and dividing what yet remained among themselves. Then ponies were led to the place of the camp fire and the members of the band quickly threw themselves on their animals and disappeared into the night.
Almost paralyzed with the knowledge of what this meant Alan now softly put his hand on Ned's face:
"Are you awake?" came instantly from Ned.
"Are you?" retorted Alan in surprise.
"Yes," whispered Ned, "I saw it all. But I didn't move, because I was afraid of arousing you."
"Here, too," exclaimed Alan. "Did you feel them take your revolver?"
Ned's band flew to his belt.
"Is yours gone too? I saw them when they came up from the fire. But you did right to keep still. If we had moved I expect we'd have had our throats cut."
"That was one of them I saw to-day," added Alan, "and I guess we're lucky to be alive."