Cat-foot had gone to the scene of Hippy’s imprisonment and from there soon found Stacy’s trail. This was made the easier because he had eavesdropped on two of the bandits and learned how Stacy got away.
“Fat boy, him run like Indian chased by bad spirits,” announced the Indian when asked about the chase.
Stacy, it developed, discovered that the Indian was chasing him, and from that moment on it was a race, the frightened Overlander making top speed to drop his pursuer. The race ended when Cat-foot finally overtook him, leaped on the boy’s back, and held him until he had explained what he wanted. Stacy’s courage thereupon returned.
“Our fallen hero,” observed Emma when the tale was finished.
“Yes, but I didn’t get shot,” retorted Stacy.
The Overlanders laughed heartily at Stacy’s retort, for it was a rap at Emma, though the boy did not know it. He laughed with them just the same.
“Where are we going?” Nora wanted to know.
“Northwest,” answered Tom briefly. “You will know all about it within twenty-four hours. The question is, what are we to do with our wounded man. We surely can’t leave him here. Cat-foot, do you know this fellow?”
“Me know.”
“What do you think we had better do with him?”