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 with us, they will surely give us some, when they see we are poor and afoot."

The dust cloud was welcome. It was time that the Spaniards should be sighted—those Spanish soldiers who, according to the report received by Chief Charakterik, were marching from New Mexico into the Indian country, no one knew why. To find out was the business of the Iskatappe squad.

The dust cloud hung in the air, moving slowly with the distant breeze. When finally the four reached the bank of the river, the cloud was much nearer.

"We will cross, and watch them; and to-night we will go into their camp," said Iskatappe.

So they swam and waded the shallow river, and crawled out into a clump of willows, to wait until the strangers should pass.

Soon, to the west they might see a column of mounted figures coming on, following the course of the river but staying back from it on account of the deep washes, or maybe from fear that their thirsty horses might bolt into quicksands.

"They are many times ten," murmured Skidi, counting by the fingers on his hands.

"It is only an advance guard," Letalesha said. "A bigger dust cloud is behind them."

And that was so. The advance guard of horse