“That’s what I’ll do. I dunno where they aire, and them Injuns may have struck ’em and even wiped ’em out. I don’t think they did, though. So, we’ll begin to look fer ’em right off. But if you’re to try that, or try to do anything, you’ll need to do some eatin’. You can’t go on much longer if you don’t. We’re stoppin’ here to give you a chanct to rest, and the pony needs rest, too. The pony’s fillin’ up on grass, showin’ how sensible he is.” She shook her head, when he held out some of the meat to her. “But if you don’t, why, ’tain’t no use fer you to try to do anything. If you’re to find yer friends, you’ve got to have some stren’th, so that you can do ridin’.” “You’ll help find my friends?” “Why, cert’in; ain’t I said so?” “And Bruce?” “Yes; we’ll look fer him, too. I see you don’t understand my position?” “No, I don’t,” she confessed frankly. “Well, as I said, I was friendly toward you from the first, but couldn’t do anything because of the other boys. I had to seem rough to ye, on account of that.” “You were the boss--the leader?” “No, you’re mistaken; Toby Sam was the real boss.” He held out the meat. “Eat it, and you’ll feel better; and when we go on you’ll be in better shape to do the ridin’ we’ve got to do if we strike them friends of yours, if they’re livin’.” She took the meat, and began to eat it. “That’s right,” said he, smiling encouragement. “Now, as I said, I couldn’t do anything so long as t’others was with me. But sense I’m alone I can do as I please. You’ll find I’m not sich a bad man as you’ve prob’bly been thinkin’.” They rested by the stream nearly an hour. At the end of that time Black John ascended the near-by hill to take a look over the country. He came down hurriedly, and was much excited. “Injuns!” he said. “We’ve got to slide out of this mighty quick, er we won’t be goin’ at all. Wish’t I had another horse fer ye, but you’ll have to ride in front of me, same’s before.” He helped her to mount, and she assisted herself very materially, for, believing him, she was anxious to get out of the valley. Then they rode away hastily, heading once more southward. She noted the direction. “This takes me farther and farther from my friends!” she protested. “We’re riding southward!” “Yes, but when Injuns aire in the trail right behind us we ain’t much choice as to the direction we take. The thing to do is to move as fast as we can out of the territory. We’ve got a start of ’em; yit I’m expectin’ to hear their yells soon.” What Black John had really seen from the top of the hill was Buffalo Bill and his friends, coming toward the valley at a fast gallop, following his trail. CHAPTER XLIII. A WHIRLWIND CHASE. Following hard on the trail of Black John and his companions, Buffalo Bill, Pawnee Bill, and Nick Nomad came to the point where Black John’s men had been fooled by the Indians. Several bodies, scalped and mutilated, told their own story.