“I calkerlate as how, if yer a mind to foller my lead, we can e’en a’most clean out the nest and git yer gal and the rest of the prisoners away safe, besides! What do ye say? Shall I go ahead?”
“Yes,” cried all three with one voice. “You shall lead us!”
“I believe you can do what you say!” added Darke. “But remember that a mistake on our part might prove fatal to Vinnie and the others!”
“There shan’t be no balks or mistakes!” said the giant, in a tone of assurance, taking his place at the head of the party. “We’ve got to leave this emigrant road here and take to the left a little. An hour’s sharp ridin’ ’ll bring us to the Injun camp. Let’s be movin’ on.”
And tightening their reins, the quartette dashed away.
There was a plain trail, left by Ku-nan-gu-no-nah’s band, leading directly to the encampment of the savages. The little party followed this for a while at a swift gallop, and then in obedience to a low, tersely-spoken command from their leader, left it suddenly, and bearing still further to the left, dashed for a few minutes through the edge of a broad belt of timber lying along the base of a range of low hills, halting at last in a chapparal not more than a hundred yards distant from the Indian village.
“Here we are,” said Leander Maybob, throwing himself off his horse. “Jist git off yer nags and stretch yerselves a little, while I take a look outside. Make the most outen your restin’-spell, for I can tell yer that ye won’t have long to lay idle. I’m expectin’ an accident soon!”
And with these strange words which the three men were assured held more meaning than they expressed, the giant strode away and disappeared from view among the shrubbery. In less than five minutes he came back, and his face showed that the result of his reconnoissance was satisfactory.
“There’ll be an accident soon,” said he.
“How soon?” queried the scout.