“What is it?” exclaimed Robert. “Are we being attacked?”
“I don’t know,” replied his brother hastily. “I guess not though, for I don’t hear any guns. Let’s see what it is all about.”
Together with John Mason and Deerfoot they hastened to headquarters.
“What’s all the excitement?” Robert inquired eagerly of the first man they met.
“We’ve found him at last,” the man answered gleefully.
“Found who? What do you mean?” demanded Mason.
“Is Black Hawk captured?” exclaimed Robert.
“Here’s what has happened,” said the man quietly. “You know that Merriam and Woodbridge started for General Atkinson’s camp with Little Thunder as a guide. Well, when they had covered about twenty miles of the distance they suddenly came upon a broad fresh trail leading west. Little Thunder at once began to wave his arms and shout, but the two adjutants couldn’t understand a word of what he said. Suddenly, however, he turned his horse around and started at full speed back over the way he had come. Woodbridge and Merriam were afraid to go any farther without a guide, so they had to follow Little Thunder. They all got back here just a little while ago, and it seems that they just happened to stumble across Black Hawk’s trail.”
“Are we going to follow it as fast as we can?” said Robert.
“Exactly,” agreed the man. “We start very soon.”