Just now his great and all absorbing interest was in the efforts of his comrades to detect the meaning of the signal fire.
Fred sat behind him upon the horse, and he stealthily looked to the right and left, in the hope of detecting some place which offered an opportunity for concealment, for he felt that there would be but the single chance offered him.

If he should fail in that, the savages would guard him too closely to permit a second effort.
The ravine at this place was about a hundred feet in width.

The sides sloped abruptly downward, growing nearly perpendicular further ahead, so that the Apaches, if caught in any trap at all, would be caught in the worst possible manner.

Hence the extreme caution they displayed before committing themselves.
There were rocks and stones on the right and left, and here and there some stunted vegetation.

A few minutes start would give any one a chance to hide, but just there was the whole difficulty.