But it was no time for sight-seeing, as the boy well knew, and he held close to the heels of the unwearying guide. And now, near nightfall, Old Rocks declared that the trail was getting hot. "Shall we be able to overtake them before dark?" asked Frank, with the greatest anxiety. "I dunno," was the answer. "But it's derned certun thet we ain't goin' ter come fur from it." "Oh, for two hours more of daylight!" sighed the boy. "We'd run ther critters down dead sure in thet time. But I don't want yer ter git ther idee thet they're goin' ter give up ther gal 'thout a murmur." "But they will have to give her up." "Thet's whatever. All ther same, we may hev ter fight, an' ole Half Hand is a mighty bad critter ter buck agin'; you hear me shout!" "I am ready to fight, if necessary." "Ef I'd heerd yer say so this mornin', I w'u'dn't putt no dependence on it; but now I'll allow thet yer means whut yer says, an' yer've got sand ter give erway. Boy, you're a holy terror on trucks, an' you may quote me ez sayin' so." Frank did not smile. "Wait," he said. "I may not show up so well in the encounter with the Blackfeet. I was lucky in the bear fight." "Wa-al, dog my cats ef you ain't ther fust tenderfut I ever saw thet wouldn't hev bragged his head off ef he'd killed a grizzly! Why, boy, you don't seem ter know whut ye've done! You've made a record. Ary other tenderfut I ever saw'd go back East an' publish ther story in all ther papers. He'd be hailed ez a mighty chief an' a tin god on wheels." "Tenderfeet are not all braggarts, any more than Westerners are all brave men." "Thet's whatever," nodded Rocks; "but it's took me a gaul derned long time ter find it out." The sun was low behind the western mountains, and darkness was filling the great canyons. The guide swung onward at a steady pace, following the trail with the same readiness and ease that had proved a source of wonder all along to his companion. It was evident the Blackfeet had not anticipated hot pursuit, and so they had made little or no effort to hide their trail after passing across an arm of the lake. The trail grew hotter and hotter, but night came on swiftly, and Old Rocks was forced to bend low and keep his eyes on the ground. "Watch out ahead, boy," he directed. "I've got all I kin' tend ter in follerin' ther trail. Don't let us run plump onter ther varmints, fer they might take a notion ter wipe us out." So Frank followed the guide, keeping his eyes to the front, and watching for danger. Darker and darker it became. Rocks was forced to proceed more slowly, as there was danger of losing the trail entirely. Finally he found it necessary to stop now and then and examine the ground thoroughly. "We shall not overtake them before dark, shall we?" asked Frank, anxiously. "Hard tellin'. Watch out. May run onter 'em any time." When they halted again, Frank suddenly uttered a low cry of warning, caught hold of the man, and exclaimed: "Look there!"