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they weren't coming just to pass the time of day〃now I'm tellin' ye！〃
The nerves of the Happy Family were raw enough by now to welcome anything that
promised action； even an Indian fight would not be so much a disaster as a
novel way of breaking the monotony。 Applehead； with the experience gathered in
the old days when he was a young fellow with a freighting outfit and old
Geronimo was terrorizing all this country； sent them back in compact half
circle just within the shelter of the trees and several rods 。away from their
campfire and the waterhole。 There； lying crouched behind their saddles with
their rifles across the seat…sides and with ammunition belts full of
cartridges； they waited for whatever might be coming in the dark。
〃It's horses；〃 Pink exclaimed under his breath； as faint sounds came down the
draw。 〃Maybe〃
〃Horsesand an Injun laying along the back of every one； most likely；〃
Applehead returned grimly。 〃An old Navvy trick； that isdon't let 'em fool
ye； boys！ You jest wait； 'n' I'll tell ye 'when t' shoot； er whether t' shoot
at all。 They can't fool MEnow I'm tellin' yuh！
After that they were silent； listening strainedly to the growing sounds of
approach。 There was the dull； unmistakable click of a hoof striking against a
rock； the softer sound of treading on yielding soil。 Then a blur of dark
objects became visible； moving slowly and steadily toward the camp。
〃Aw； it's just horses；〃 Happy Jack muttered disgustedly。
Applehead stretched a lean leg in his direction and gave Happy Jack a kick。
〃They're cunnin'；〃 he hissed warningly。 〃Don't yuh be fooled〃
〃That's Johnny in the lead；〃 Pink whispered excitedly。 〃I'd know the way he
walks〃
〃'N' you THOUGHT yuh knowed how he jingled his dang bell；〃 Applehead retorted
unkindly。 〃Sh…sh…sh〃
Reminded by the taunt of the clever trick that had been played upon them the
night before； the Happy Family stiffened again into strained； waiting
silence； their rifles aimed straight at the advancing objects。 These； still
vague in the first real darkness of early night； moved steadily in a
scattered group behind a leader that was undoubtedly Johnny of the erstwhile
tinkling bell。 He circled the campfire just without its radius of light； so
that they could not tell whether an Indian lay along his back； and beaded
straight for the water…hole。 The others followed him； and not one came into
the firelighta detail which sharpened the suspicions of the men crouched
there in the edge of the bushes； and tingled their nerves with the sense of
something sinister in the very unconcernedness of the animals。
They splashed into the water…hole and drank thirstily and long。 They stood
there as though they were luxuriating in the feel of more water than they
could drink； and one horse blew the moisture from his nostrils with a sound
that made Happy Jack jump。
After a few minutes that seemed an hour to those who waited with fingers
crooked upon gun…triggers； the horse that looked vaguely like Johnny turned
away from the water…hole and sneezed while he appeared to be wondering what to
do next。 He moved slowly toward the packs that were thrown down just where
they had been taken from the horses； and began nosing tentatively about。
The others loitered still at the water…hole； save onethe buckskin； by his
lighter look in the darkthat came over to Johnny。 The two horses nosed the
packs。 A dull sound of clashing metal came to the ears of the Happy Family。
〃Hey！ Get outa that grain； doggone your fool hide；〃 Pink called out
impulsively； crawling over his saddle and catching his foot in the stirrup
leather so that he came near going headlong。
Applehead yelled something； but Pink had recovered his balance and was running
to save the precious horsefeed from waste； and Johnny from foundering。 There
might have been two Indiana on every horse in sight； but Pink was not thinking
of that possibility just then。
Johnny whirled guiltily away from the grain bag； licking his lips and blowing
dust from his nostrils。 Pink went up to him and slipped a rope around his
neck。 〃Where's that bell？〃 he called out in his soft treble。 〃Or do you think
we better tie the old son…of…a…gun up and be sure of him？〃
〃Aw；〃 said Happy Jack disgustedly a few minutes later； when the Happy Family
had crawled out of their ambush and were feeling particularly foolish。 〃Nex'
time old granny Furrman says Injuns t' this bunch； somebody oughta gag him 〃
〃I notice you waited till he'd gone outa hearing before you said that；〃 Luck
told him drily。 〃We're going to put out extra guards tonight； just the same。
And I guess you can stand the first shift； Happy； up there on the
ridgeyou're so sure of things！〃
CHAPTER XV。 〃NOW； DANG IT； RIDE！〃
Indians are Indians； though they wear the green sweater and overalls of
civilization and set upon their black hair the hat made famous by John B。
Stetson。 You may meet them in town and think them tamed to stupidity。 You may
travel out upon their reservations and find them shearing sheep or hoeing corn
or plodding along the furrow； plowing their fields； or you may watch them
dancing grotesquely in their festivals； and still think that civilization is
fast erasing the savage instincts from their natures。 You will be partly right
but you will also be partly mistaken。 An Indian is always an Indian； and a
Navajo Indian carries a thinner crust of civilization than do some others； as
I am going to illustrate。
As you have suspected； the Happy Family was not following the trail of Ramon
Chavez and his band。 Ramon was a good many miles away in another direction；
unwittingly the Happy Family was keeping doggedly upon the trail of a party of
renegade Navajos who had been out on a thieving expedition among those
Mexicans who live upon the Rio Grande bottomland。 Having plenty of reasons
for hurrying back to their stronghold； and having plenty of lawlessness to
account for； when they realized that they were being followed by nine white
men who had four packed horses with them to provide for their needs on a long
journey； it was no more than natural that the Indians should take it for
granted that they were being pursued； and that if they were caught they would
be taken back to town and shut up in that evil place which the white men
called their jail。
When it was known that the nine men who followed had twice recovered the trail
after sheep and cattle had trampled it out； the renegades became sufficiently
alarmed to call upon their tribesmen for help。 And that was perfectly natural
and sensible from their point of view。
Now； the Navajos are peaceable enough if you leave them strictly alone and do
not come snooping upon their reservation trying to arrest somebody。 But they
don't like jails； and if you persist in trailing their lawbreakers you are
going to have trouble on your hands。 The Happy Family； with Luck and
Applehead； had no intention whatever of mol