AS IN THE OLDEN DAYS. 



No one could have understood better than he the care necessary in leaving the 

 vicinity of the camp fire. No doubt the wild man had his eyes fixed upon him, and 

 any movement would be watched with suspicious eyes. 



Jack Harvey, therefore, sauntered off as though he had no purpose other than 

 to stretch his limbs. His course led straight away from the interloper, and conse- 

 quently took him across the beat of the native sentinels. 



They looked at him as he approached, doubtless wondering what he wanted. 

 Since neither could speak English, conversation was out of the question, except in 

 the most disjointed way. 



Still, Jack's purpose was to make the wild man believe he wished simply to say 

 something to the sentinels, and he, therefore, paused and uttered a few words, to 

 which the others made the best replies they could, which were not much. 



Into the gloom beyond, the Texan strolled, gradually circling toward the river, 

 until he entered the tall grass that had been the cause of so much misgiving on the 

 part of all. 



Had the wild man undertaken to follow him, he could have done so without de- 

 tection, since he appeared at a point between the camp fire and the edge of the tall 

 weeds, and was on the ground where it was almost impossible to see him. On the 

 other hand, Jack was erect, and the act of stooping was likely to awaken suspicion. 



But the gentleman from Texas reasoned that there is considerable difference 

 between a native African and an American Indian. 



Had he taken the course I have described in the presence of an Apache or 

 Comanche scout, the redskin would not have been deceived for an instant. 



The question which bothered the Texan was, whether there was one or a dozen 

 wild men. If the latter, the case was serious, for they might launch a shower of 

 poisoned arrows or javelins into camp at any moment, while, if there was but a single 

 person, he was likely to maneuver a longer time before making any demonstration. 



Though he could not be sure he had removed all misgiving the intruder may 

 have felt on witnessing his movements, Jack was so certain such was the fact, that 

 he acted on it without hesitation. 



Not until he was fairly in the tall grass did the cowboy feel the confidence he 

 showed on his Indian campaigns. Finding himself in "cover" similar to that 

 which had often served him so well in his own country, he made no mistake. 



He now stole through this grass in a stooping posture, with the purpose of 

 getting behind the stranger and bringing him in a direct line with Mr. Godkin. 



That point gained, he would creep upon the savage, who would have to be an 

 amazingly spry fellow to escape him. 



You will perceive that the Texan was acting on the theory that he had but one 

 enemy in front of him : should there prove to be more, his plan of campaign must 

 undergo modification. 



No serpent could have moved through the weeds with less noise than ke. He 

 might have passed within arm's length of a watchful redskin without betraying 

 himself. 



