"Something has happened to her!" panted Frank. "Forward, man, forward! She may have been attacked by a wild beast!" In another instant the guide was striding swiftly along the trail, making it necessary for the others to run in order to keep up with him. They penetrated the timber for a considerable distance, and then, of a sudden, Old Rocks stopped short, stooping low to stare at the ground, grinding an exclamation of dismay through his teeth. "What is it?" demanded Frank fearing the worst. After a hasty survey of the ground, the guide replied: "Injuns! Ther leetle gal has been ketched by ther p'izen varmints, sure as shootin'!" CHAPTER XXIX. FACE TO FACE. "Th' saints defind her!" cried Barney. "Indians?" panted Frank. "Are you sure?" "Wa-al, I reckon! Hyar's ther marks. See them hoof prints thar. Notice they toe in. Thet is Injun sign." "I--I think we had better return to the camp at once," fluttered Professor Scotch. "Not much!" exclaimed Frank, fiercely. "If she has fallen into the hands of those red wretches, we must follow them and rescue her." Old Rocks nodded. "You talk all right, youngster; but I reckon yer sand would ooze out on a pinch. All ther same, we must foller ther skunks." "Go on!" came from Barney. "Begobs! we'll show yez av we've got sand!" "But I am not feeling well," protested the professor. "Then ye'd better go back," snarled Old Rocks. "You'll be more bother then good, anyhow." "I--I can't go back through the darkness. I should lose my way. You must accompany me to the camp." "An' waste all thet time? Wa-al, I ruther guess not! Time is too valuable just now." "This is a terrible scrape!" fluttered Scotch. "I expect we'll all be killed before we get out of it!" The guide seemed to hesitate, casting a sidelong look at the professor, as if he longed to get rid of the man in some way, but did not know how. "I kin do as much erlone as I kin with ther hull o' yer," he finally said. "I reckons ye'd best all go back." "I guess not!" cried Frank. "I am with you through thick and thin! You will remember that I found the child, and she called herself my fairy. It is my duty to help rescue her." "Wa-al, I 'lows ye'll stick ter thet," growled Old Rocks; "an' so I'll hev ter take yer erlong." "An' Oi'm wid him, begobs!" But the guide would not agree to that. "Somebody's got ter go back ter camp an' look out fer things," he said. "I reckons you an' ther professor is ther ones." Barney groaned. "Profissor, can't yez go alone?" he asked. "It's nivver a chance have Oi had ter take a hand in a bit av a ruction loately, av ye will except th' chance Oi had th' doay." But Professor Scotch had no fancy to return through the darkness to the camp, and he insisted that Barney should accompany him. The Irish boy was forced to succumb, and he parted from Frank with the utmost reluctance and regret. "We have fought an' bled togither," he said, "an' it's harrud to be parruted loike this."