“That’s what would just suit me,” exclaimed Walt. “I’d like to start tonight, all right. We won’t find Black Hawk tomorrow probably so there will be no fighting on the thirteenth anyway, and that will kill all the bad luck you’re afraid of.”
“No, it won’t,” protested Robert. “The point is that we start on the thirteenth. That is what counts.”
“Well, I wouldn’t let it worry me,” laughed Walt. “I must be off now,” he added. “I’ll see you at daylight tomorrow.”
He slapped his horse on its flank and galloped away. Robert and Joseph drew lots as to which should have first choice of horses. Joseph won and made his selection, if such a thing was possible. The horses were both splendid animals and apparently there was little to choose between them. At any rate, both boys were very well satisfied with their mounts.
Darkness was now coming on and dinner time drew near. While the meal was being prepared the boys watered and fed their new mounts. Then they rubbed them down and tethered them for the night. This done, they quickly turned their attention to the food which Deerfoot had prepared.
“It will seem good to be the one doing the chasing for a while, won’t it?” remarked Joseph when their meal was over. “I was getting sort of tired of running away all the time and I’ll be glad to see someone else run for a change.”
“Yes, indeed,” agreed Robert heartily. “And when we get astride those horses whoever gets away from us will have to be pretty fast.”
“The Indians will be mounted too, won’t they, Deerfoot?” inquired Joseph of their comrade.
“All ride,” grunted Deerfoot. “Good horses, too.”
“That’s all right,” said Robert confidently. “They won’t be as good as ours and we’ll catch them all right.”