He glanced around, anxiously taking in every detail, and then added, in a voice of disgust:
“What on airth was you fellers a-thinkin’ about, anyhow? Don’t you see you’d orter bin out yander, away from the river? They kin swim down in the dark, an’ take us in the r’ar, now. But it’s too late to mend that now, so do as I do. They’ll be here in less’n a-nour now, fer they’ll know we’re on the look-out, soon’s they find Ebenezer.”
The corral had been formed close to the river-bank, in a half-circle, and in the usual manner; that is, in two rows of wagons, the one covering the joints in the other. By Tom Maxwell’s directions, the wheels were let down in holes hastily dug, so that the axles rested upon the prairie, and the openings were still further barricaded by articles taken from the wagons.
The fires were extinguished and the women and children stowed away in as perfect security as could be obtained, in the inner tier of vehicles. But while doing so, a startling discovery was made.
There was one missing—Clara Calhoun was in no place to be found! A few minutes’ quest showed them that she was not within the corral!
And then Maxwell found that his horse was also missing from the others. In an agony of apprehension, Calhoun hastened to and fro, eagerly questioning each one as to when they had last noticed her.
All he could learn was simply this: Clara had been riding, as usual, and at some little distance to one side of the train, just before Tom Maxwell started out on his reconnoissance. During the confusion anent the encamping, she had been lost sight of. No one could say more than this.
“What can we do, Tom?” anxiously asked Calhoun, to the gloomy guide.
“Not much, onless she comes in o’ herself. The reds is snoopin’ ’round, an’ ’ll be most sartin to gobble up any as goes out to hunt fer her. But I’ll resk it, anyhow, fer a bit. Keep the boys to work, an’ don’t git fooled, ’fore I come back.”
Then the old guide left the corral and hastened along the back trail, soon disappearing amid the fast-gathering shadows. And thus an hour passed by, when the whistle of Maxwell was heard, followed in a few moments by himself; but he was alone.