"What is it, lad?"

"There are Indians in the gulch."

"Aha! where?"

"Down where we were camped last night."

"You keep low and I will take a peep."

Desmond could afford to let Creedon take a peep. The woodsman did peep and took in the situation, and he said:

"You are smaller than I am; does the rent where you are run to the berth where Brooks is sleeping?"

"It may; I will find out and go slow; we don't want a fight if we can help it, but we've got the dead bulge on those redskins if we have to fight."

CHAPTER III.

CREEDON'S KNOWLEDGE OF WOODCRAFT—THE REDMEN'S DEPARTURE—A LONG TRAIL—ON THE TRAMP—THE STRANGEST REFUGE IN THE WORLD—A BRIDGE OF RISKS.