We thanked him for the information, and then rode away in the direction which he indicated. When an intervening ridge shut out the sight of the camp, we halted and held a council. I was of the opinion that we had better leave the ladies to themselves, and not interfere with their hunting for the day, but was speedily overruled by my companions, who outvoted me two to one. They had the argument on their side, I had to confess, and therefore I yielded with very little hesitation.
"They've been getting into scrapes lately," said Jack, "and the chances are even that they'll get into one to-day. If we go where they are we may be able to pull them out of a difficulty, which we could not do if we went on in an entirely different direction. We need not interfere with their hunting at all; if they can kill the entire herd let them do so, but I imagine there won't be very much diminution of it after they have had their fill of buffalo-shooting."
As soon as the question was decided we hurried on toward the northwest. We had gone about six miles when we saw ahead of us a cloud of dust, and knew that it was the locality of the herd. The ground was open and undulating; scattered mimosa and other trees dotted the region, but they were not sufficiently numerous to afford cover or shelter to any great extent; neither did they impede the view.
"There comes the herd!" shouted Jack, as he saw the cloud of dust. "I'll bet our friends are just behind it, and having a merry time."
"The herd is coming this way at full speed," said Harry; "how rapidly that dust-cloud approaches!"
We all rose in our stirrups and looked intently in the direction of the dust; very soon I made out that the herd stretched across the plain to a considerable extent, and, according to the indications, it contained a goodly number of animals. It was certain that we would have plenty of sport without interfering with that of our neighbors.
"Stop! What is that?" I exclaimed. "Just look in front of the herd, past that mimosa-tree with a bush at its base!"
"Yes, just look!" said Jack. "My God, the hunters are being hunted!"
