During the night, when John and Harry were on guard, John quietly stole from the wagon, and as stealthily as a savage moved out over the ground toward the Indian encampment. Heretofore there had been a protest against his doing so, but in this case Harry did not offer any objections.
On his return Harry noticed several objects which he carried back and was surprised to see they were the peculiar headdresses worn by the attacking party. It was a matter of wonder to him that John should make a prize of these things, but when the Professor was called, and he noticed them, his face lighted up, and nodding his head, said: "Well, this is a wonderful piece of information."
"What is it?"
"How stupid I have been, not to recognize that before."
"What is the matter with the headgears that John brought in?"
"Look at the topknot of the fellow we have in the wagon."
The moonlight was sufficiently clear to enable Harry to distinguish a pronounced difference.
"So another tribe that our captive does not belong to has been pursuing us?"
This news was of so much importance that Harry waked up George, although it was not his hour for the watch.
"What do you think, George, the fellow we have does not belong to the attacking party." George was too sleepy to comprehend the intelligence at once.