The guide was putting forth all the cunning of which he was capable. It was necessary to come up with Blazing Arrow and his companions, and at the same time prevent their knowing it. The journey was pushed in this manner for nearly a mile, and Wharton recognized, from familiar sights, that they were drawing near the turn in the dry ravine where he had had his singular encounter with Blazing Arrow when he recovered his gun from him. Somehow or other the conviction had fastened upon him that the spot was again to be the scene of stirring events. "Halloo!" he exclaimed in an undertone. "He has discovered something, and we must wait till he signals us to go on." CHAPTER XXVII. RED CROW. The boys kept such a close watch on the Shawanoe that the moment he signalled them to stop they obeyed. Although he assumed his favorite attitude while doing so, he instantly faced about so that his back was toward them. There could be no doubt that he had made some important discovery. The youths stood still in the trail, Wharton slightly in advance; but Larry was near enough to his side to note every movement of the singular being who had been acting as their guide ever since the rise of the sun. "I wonder whether he means us to stand right here or to dodge behind the trees, as we did before?" remarked Larry. "We shall know, for he will tell us. There it is!" Arqu-wao at this moment made a peculiar sweep of the hand holding the bow, which was interpreted as an order for them to screen themselves from sight. They did so with the cleverness of a short time before. Nothing to explain the cause for this caution appeared, and the lads kept their eyes on the Indian in whose hands they had placed their lives before this critical moment. The tree trunks which sheltered them were not more rigid and motionless for the next five minutes than he. Then he was seen to take a single step forward, when he again paused. A second followed with the same deliberation as before, and the advance continued, foot by foot, until the intervening trees and the turn in the trail shut the guide from sight. "We're near the clearing where I had my race with Blazing Arrow," remarked Wharton, in a guarded voice. "Ye may have anither one with him." "It isn't likely, but I believe he isn't far off." "And the others are with him." "Of course, and more than likely father and mother are near. Oh, I do hope that they will find out their danger soon enough to save themselves; but I fear the worst." "Do ye hear that?" The faces of the youths blanched, for at that moment the sharp crack of a rifle rang out in the stillness. It was near at hand, and was followed by a wild cry, which, echoing through the forest arches, left the silence more oppressive than before. "Somebody is killed!" whispered the frightened Wharton. "I don't doubt ye; but that yell wasn't a white man's." "Then the shot must have been."