"So far. If they are not, it's not their fault. The Professor is
right. Those boys have pluck enough to pull them through, but
sometimes pluck alone will not do it. A prairie fire is no respecter
of pluck."
They burst out into an open space. There were no signs of either of
the missing boys.
"Something has happened to them. We must have missed them," announced
the guide.
CHAPTER XIV
AGAINST BIG ODDS
"What is it, Chunky?"
"There!"
Tad jerked his companion flat on the ground, flattening himself beside
Stacy at the same instant.
What had caused their sudden alarm was the sight of two Indians,
sitting on their ponies without saddles, some distance out on the open
plain. The redskins were wrapped in their brightly colored blankets,
which enveloped them from head to knees. Even the hands were invisible
beneath the folds of the blankets.
"D-d-do you think they saw us, Tad?"
"I don't know. It's safe to say they did. Indian eyes don't miss very
much. You ought to know that, by this time. I wish we could make that
pony lie down."
"Why don't you?"
"He's too afraid of the ground-- thinks it's still hot, and I don't
blame him. The fire has singed him pretty well as it is.
The Indians sat their mounts as motionless as statues, the ponies
headed directly toward where the two lads were lying.
"I'll bet they're got guns under those blankets," decided Tad. "You
can't trust an Indian even while you are looking at him.
Pages:
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113