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 something else: Indian signs which were not older than three days. A party of warriors were ahead. Stub picked up a worn moccasin: "Pawnee—Grand Pawnee," he announced, when he handed it to the lieutenant "War party. All on foot. Mebbe so many." And he opened and shut his fingers five times.

The lieutenant and the doctor examined the moccasin. After that they rode more rapidly, as if anxious to get to their soldiers.

The soldiers also had crossed the river, on account of bad travel, and were camped on this, the south side. In the morning they all marched by the Spanish trail, along the river, into the west, over a country covered with salt. There were more Indian signs. It looked as though twenty warriors had been marching in the same direction only a short time before; and fresh horse tracks pointed down river.

Whether the Indians were the same Pawnees or not, was hard to tell. But the horse tracks looked to be wild-horse tracks.

"Sure, wouldn't it be fun to ketch a few o' them wild hosses, Stub, lad?" proposed John Sparks, in camp. "We need 'em. Would ye know how?"

"Chase 'em; with rope. Chase 'em all day, make tired, mebbe no ketch 'em," Stub answered.

"Or if ye shoot one jest right, through the nape