When he saw us coming he started to sneak away.

We never got within calling distance of him, and after a while he must have hidden in the brush; for we never laid eyes on him again, and we knew he couldn't have got clear away.
Jed and I beat up the brush for hundreds of yards all around.

They hadn't told us how long we were to be gone, and since the Indians did not fire on us we kept on going.

We were away over two hours, though had either of us been alone he would have been back in a quarter of the time.
But Jed was bound to outbrave me, and I was equally bound to outbrave him.
Our foolishness was not without profit.

We walked, boldly about under our white flag, and learned how thoroughly our camp was beleaguered.