“You mean among those who were here before he arrived?” Joseph asked.
“Yes, I don’t care much about it either. We want to fight in our own way, and, personally, I don’t see why we should be tied down to the regular levies. I had hoped we’d go on without them.”
“We could act as scouts or rangers,” Robert suggested.
“That’s just my idea,” Walt exclaimed. “We could push on ahead and see what is going on and act independently of the others. There are three hundred and more of us and that seems to me to be enough.”
“We’ll hear something soon anyway, I guess,” said Joseph.
“I think so,” agreed Walt. “I must leave you for a while now,” he added. “I’ll drop around to your tent a little later.”
The two brothers continued on their way. It was an interesting and exciting experience for them to see and feel the bustle and hustle of a military camp and to know that they were part of it. Horses were tethered under all the trees, tents sprang up on all sides as if by magic, while everywhere men were busy with the thousand and one duties of camp life.
Soon the boys came to their own tent and entered. Deerfoot, however, was not there and this fact caused the brothers no little worry.
“Where do you suppose he is?” said Joseph anxiously.
“I wish I knew,” replied Robert. “I don’t see how anything could happen to him right here in camp though.”