That night they camped on the spot where Iola had left the Indian trail, and where she had camped two nights before.
The next day they took up the trail, and when night overtook them they were not many miles from the river on the bank of which our hero and his three friends were encamped, and where Monsieur Tierney had that day performed his exploit with his umbrella.
The moon arose, and as it lit up the earth the band, who were in a clump of trees, heard the noise of a fight, just behind another small grove about a mile distant. The yells of the Comanches and the hurrahs of white men could be plainly heard.
Common humanity prompted Don Carlos to leave the Donna in charge of a man, and to go to the aid of the whites.
But it was something more that made Iola hurry the men off. She had a presentiment that her lover was one of the whites, and that he was in a pretty bad fix and needed aid.
CHAPTER XVII.
A STERN CHASE IS GENERALLY A LONG ONE.
After Ralph had finished his yarn, the whites sat for some time talking around the fire.
The afternoon began to rapidly draw to a close, and darkness was soon at hand. The sky was clear of clouds, and all knew when the moon did rise it would have a clear field before it. The day had been pretty warm, but night brought cool and very pleasant breezes with it. The birds had all gone to their nests or were asleep in the branches of the trees with their heads underneath their wings. The animals which were generally seen in the daytime were all gone now, and the many voices of the night were the only things to be heard.
From the trees came the shrill scream of the panther, the lonely hoot of the owl, the scream of the night-hawk and cries from other animals and birds. From the plains came the howls of the wolves, sounding dismally through the darkness of the night. From the river came the croaking of frogs and the buzzing of many insects that infest watery places.
All were accustomed to these night noises and did not notice them in the least. They were listening to the guide, who was telling a splendid story about “Kit Carson on the war-path,” and how he avenged the death of a poor settler.