I hesitated to risk the open prairie thus unaided, lest we should wander astray and lose much valuable time; so, although it measurably increased our peril of encountering parties of savages, I turned sharply northward, keeping the bright Indian fires upon our left, and groping forward through the gloom toward where I knew the main branch of the river must lie.

It was neither the time nor place for speech.

I held her hand closely while we moved onward silently, carefully guarding each step lest by mischance it should bring betrayal.

Once, after we had reached the river and were moving eastward again, a party of Indians passed us, coming so silently out of the black void, in their soft moccasins, that I had barely time to hold her motionless before they were fairly upon us.

I counted nine of them, moving rapidly in single file, like so many black ghosts.