"No; I don"t dare try it. I"m afraid we"d get lost in the smoke and perhaps get burned as well. We"ll ride out some distance, then turn to the left and try to go around the burned district."
"What if the Indians chase us?"
"I don"t believe they will. They"ll hardly dare do that. And, besides, these may be friendly Indians."
"Huh!" grunted Stacy. "They look it."
Tad got up boldly, and without even looking toward the silent red men, began fussing about his saddle, cinching the girths, and straightening the saddle. His last act before mounting was to see that the coils of his lariat were in order.
"All right," announced the lad, vaulting into the saddle.
Stacy scrambled up behind him without loss of time, and they rode out into the open, the fat boy peering apprehensively over his companion"s shoulder.
"You keep watch of them, Chunky, but don"t let them see you doing it.
I won"t look at them at all. We don"t want them to think we"re afraid."
Stacy fidgeted.
"You bet I"ll watch "em. Wish I had my rifle."
"I don"t."
"Huh!"
"You have distinguished yourself quite enough with that rifle as it is. We don"t want any more of your fancy shooting."
"There they go," warned Stacy.
"I see them." Tad had been cautiously observing the hors.e.m.e.n out of the corners of his eyes. "Moving in the same direction we are. I don"t like the looks of it. Still, if they don"t get any nearer we may be thankful."
The pony carrying the boys was walking easily, and the mounts of the Indians were doing the same.
"Jog a little," suggested Stacy.
"That"s a good idea. It will tell us quickly whether they are trying to keep up with us."
He touched the pony lightly with his spurs. The little animal switched its tail, for its sides were tender, and started off.
"There they go, Tad! Jogging the same gait as ours!"
Tad"s face took on the stubborn look it always wore when he had determined upon a certain course of action.
"I"ll beat them yet, even if there are only two of them. I wish there weren"t two of us on this nag."
"I"ll get off and walk," suggested. Stacy.
"You"ll do nothing of the sort. That would be a nice thing to do, wouldn"t it? They"d round you up quicker"n they could a lame burro."
"Say, Tad."
"What?"
"I"ve got an idea."
"What is it?"
"You know that sage hen we had?"
"Yes, what"s that got to do with our present predicament?"
"I was wondering why there aren"t any sage roosters?"
"You"ll be a sage rooster, with your head off, first thing you know,"
snapped Tad in disgust. "Can"t you be serious for a minute? Don"t you see we are in a fix?"
"Uh-huh!"
"There, that fellow is trying to head us off."
One of the Indians had shot away from his companion, running obliquely toward the point to which Tad was headed.
The red man had gotten quite a start before the boys caught the significance of his manoeuvre.
Tad dug in the spurs.
At that instant the fat boy"s hands had been removed from Tad, to whose body they had been clinging.
The pony leaped forward, and Stacy slid over its rump, hitting the ground with a jolt that jarred him.
"Wow!" howled Stacy.
Tad, instantly divining what had happened, pulled up sharply; wheeled and raced back to where his companion was still complaining loudly and rubbing his body.
"Get up!" roared Tad, leaning over and grasping Stacy by the hair of his head.
The fat boy was jerked sharply to his feet.
"Quick! Quick, climb up here!"
With the help of his companion, the lad scrambled up behind Tad again, muttering and rubbing himself.
By this time the leading horseman had wholly outdistanced them, and his pony was now loping along easily, while the second Indian appeared to be riding directly toward them, at right angles to the direction in which they were traveling.
All at once the two Indians began riding about the boys in a circle, uttering short little "yips," intended to terrify the lads, but not loud enough to be heard any great distance away.
"Hang on! We"re going to ride for keeps now!" warned Tad.
The fat boy threw both arms about his companion"s waist as the pony let out into a swift run. At first Tad thought he had gotten safely out of the circle, only to discover that they had headed him again.