After progressing in this way for twenty minutes, they arrived at the camp. The Indians had not yet returned; but in all probability, it would not be long before they did so. All their baggage was scattered about. Two or three horses, which had not felt disposed to run away, were browsing quietly on the peavines. Without losing time, the hunters set about collecting their traps, which was soon done. Each loaded himself with five, and, without further delay, they resumed the way to the cavern where they had concealed their horses. Notwithstanding the tolerably heavy weight they carried on their shoulders, the two men marched lightly, much pleased at having so happily terminated their expedition, and laughing at the trick they had played the Indians. They had gone on thus for some time, and could already hear the murmur of the distant waters of the river, when, all at once, the neighing of a horse struck their ears. "We are pursued," said Loyal Heart, stopping. "Hum!" Belhumeur remarked, "it is, perhaps, a wild horse." "No; a wild horse does not neigh in that manner; it is the Comanches; but we can soon know," he added, as he threw himself down to listen, and placed his ear close to the ground. "I was sure of it," he said, rising almost immediately; "it is the Comanches; but they are not following a full track--they are hesitating." "Or perhaps their march is retarded by the wound of Eagle Head." "That's possible! Oh, oh! do they fancy themselves capable of catching us, if we wished to escape from them?" "Ah! if we were not loaded, that would soon be done." Loyal Heart reflected a minute. "Come," he said, "we have still half an hour, and that is more than we want." A rivulet flowed at a short distance from them; the hunter entered its bed with his companion, who followed all his movements. When he arrived in the middle of the stream, Loyal Heart carefully wrapped up the traps in a buffalo skin, that no moisture might come to them, and then he allowed them quietly to drop to the bottom of the stream. This precaution taken, the hunters crossed the rivulet, and made a false trail of about two hundred paces, and afterwards returned cautiously so as not to leave a print that might betray their return. They then re-entered the forest, after having, with a gesture, sent the dogs to the horses. The intelligent animals obeyed, and soon disappeared in the darkness. This resolution to send away the dogs was useful in assisting to throw the Indians off the track, for they could scarcely miss following the traces left by the bloodhounds in the high grass. Once in the forest, the hunters again climbed up a tree, and began to advance between heaven and earth--a mode of travelling much more frequently used than is believed in Europe, in this country where it is often impossible, on account of the underwood and the trees, to advance without employing an axe to clear a passage.