Rumors had reached the ears of the commanders of the little force that some of these men were trying to excite the Sioux to take up the buried hatchet, and proceed in force against the Mandans and their new white allies. On this account, then, it was necessary that the camp be guarded against a sudden surprise. At least, if trouble came the explorers did not mean to be caught napping by the cunning redmen. "You don't think it feels much like snow, do you, Dick?" Roger asked, as they stood looking around them, with the sun commencing to drop down behind the horizon. "The signs do not show it," the other told him; "but you know they sometimes tell us wrong. The season is so late, now, that we're liable to get a heavy storm any day and, as it's growing colder all the time, it will come as snow and not rain. Once it falls, the Indians say we will not see the bare ground soon again. But what are the men running to the other side of the camp for, do you suppose?" "Listen, one of them just shouted that a man was coming, mounted on a horse," said Roger. "That sounds as though it might be a white man," added Dick, as they hastened through the camp toward the other side where they might see for themselves what all the commotion meant. "Horses are not common in this country. We are running short ourselves, since we've had some stolen by prowling Indians, two died, and the three men who started down the river took as many more with them." By this time they had arrived at a point where they could look toward the southeast, for it was to that quarter the attention of the members of the expedition seemed to be directed. Dick uttered an exclamation that was echoed by his cousin. Their faces expressed the utmost dismay and alarm and there was good reason for this, as the cry that broke from Roger's lips indicated. "Oh! Dick, what can it mean? There is the messenger who carried away our precious paper, coming back to camp on a worn-out horse. Something terrible must have happened!" FOOTNOTE: [4] See "The Pioneer Boys of the Missouri." CHAPTER IV BAD NEWS "I'M afraid you are right, Roger," Dick replied, as the two pioneer boys hastened to be among the first to meet the rider when he came jogging into camp. That something had, indeed, happened was easy to see from the dejected manner of the messenger. His face bore a deeply chagrined look, as though there was some reason for his feeling ashamed. He had evidently pushed his horse hard all day, for the animal was worn out, and reeking with sweat, despite the fact that there was a decided chill in the air. The man dropped wearily from his hard saddle. He came very near falling, for, after sitting in that constrained attitude for many hours, his lower limbs were benumbed, so that for a brief time he did not have the full use of them. By this time Captain Lewis had heard the clamor, and come out of his tent to ascertain what had happened.