The ashes were blown out from several others, and these carefully studied. Additional facts were brought to light by those Champollions of the prairie—Rube and Garey. Whoever rode the horses, had been going in a gallop. They had not ridden long in one course; but here and there had turned and struck off in new directions. There had been a score or so of them. No two had been galloping together; their tracks converged or crossed one another—now zigzagging, now running in right lines, or sweeping in curves and circles over the plain.
All this knowledge the trackers had obtained in less than ten minutes—simply by riding around and examining the tracks. Not to disturb them in their diagnosis, the rest of us halted and awaited the result of their scrutiny.
In ten minutes’ time both came back to us; they had read the sign to their satisfaction, and needed no further light.
That sign had disclosed to them one fact of more significance than all the rest. Of course, we all knew that the Indian horsemen had gone over the ground before the grass had been burnt; but how long before? We had no difficulty in making out that it was upon that same day, and since the rising of the sun—these were trifles easily ascertained; but at what hour had they passed? Late, or early? With the steed, before, or after him?
About this point I was most anxious, but I had not the slightest idea that it could be decided by the “sign.”
To my astonishment, those cunning hunters returned to tell me, not only the very hour at which the steed had passed the spot, but also that the Indian horsemen had been riding after him! Clairvoyance could scarcely have gone farther.
The old trapper had grown expletive, more than was his wont. It was no longer a matter of tracking the white steed. Indians were near. Caution had become necessary, and neither the company nor counsel of the humblest was to be scorned. We might soon stand in need of the strength, even of the weakest in our party.
Freely, then, the trackers communicated their discoveries, in answer to my interrogation.
“The white hoss,” said Rube, “must ’a been hyur ’bout four hour ago—kalkerlatin the rate at which he wur a gwine, an kalkerlatin how fur he hed ter kum. He hain’t ’a stopped nowhur; an ’ceptin i’ the thicket, he hez gallipt the rest o’ the way—thet’s clur. Wal, we knows the distance, thurfor we knows the time—thet’s clur too; an four hour’s ’bout the mark, I reck’n—preehaps a leetle less, an alser preehaps a leetle more. Now, furrermore to the peint. Them niggurs hez been eyther clost arter ’im, in view o’ the critter, or follerin ’im on the trail—the one or the t’other—an which ’taint possyble to tell wi’ this hyur sign no-how-cum-somever. But thet they wur arter ’im, me an Bill’s made out clur as mud—thet we sartintly hez.”
“How have you ascertained that they were after?”