No sign of Indians was seen other than the-deserted trail, and confident that the band had had fully twenty-four hours' start their pursuers advanced as rapidly as the ground would permit.

The very clearness of the trail was evidence that the Indians had no conception that they were being followed.
Confident of safety in their winter retreat, they were making no effort to protect their rear, never dreaming there were soldiers within hundreds of miles.

Whatever report Dupont had made, it had awakened no alarm.

Why should it?
So far as he knew there were but two men pursuing him into the wilderness, and both of these he believed lying dead in the snow.
Steadily, mile after mile, they rode, and it was after dark when the little column was finally halted beside a stream, where they could safely hide themselves in a patch of timber.

Tiny fires were built under protection of the steep banks of the creek, and the men made coffee, and fed their hungry horses.