"Have they already left us ?" I pointed to the intervening sand-ridge.
"They move parallel with us, but prefer to walk upon the prairie grass rather than these beach pebbles.

For my part, I would willingly dispense with their guard altogether; for in my judgment we are of sufficient strength to defend ourselves." "Ay, strong enough against savages," interposed De Croix, his eyes upon the straggling line ahead; "yet if by any chance treachery was intended, surely I never saw military formation less adapted for repelling sudden attack.

Mark how those fellows march out yonder!--all in a bunch, and with not so much as a corporal's guard to protect the wagons!" I was no soldier then, and knew little of military formation; but his criticism seemed just, and I ventured not upon answering it.

Indeed, at that very moment some confusion far in front, where Captain Wells led his scouts, attracted my attention.

We must have been a mile and a half from the Fort by this time, and I recalled to memory the little group of trees standing beside the trail where we had halted on our journey westward to enjoy our earliest glimpse of Dearborn.