We had no difficulty in understanding
that the Apaches had expected to be pursued and had dropped the ribbon
to mislead us, and that Brenda had dropped her "sign" to set her
friends right.
I asked the guides if it was not probable the Apaches had set a watch
on the overlooking heights to see which road we should take at this
point.
"It's sartin', liftinint," answered Weaver; "they're watchin' us sharp
jest now."
"Then we had better continue on the northern trail awhile and mislead
them, you think?"
"That's it, liftinint. That's th' best thing to do. We needn't reach
their camp until after midnight, an' we might 's well spend th' time
misleadin' em."
"Yes, and it'll be better to reach them a few hours after midnight,
too," added Cooler; "they sleep soundest then."
"Then we will go on as we began for some time longer," I replied, and
the soldiers again moved at a brisk canter over the northern trail.
An hour passed, and a halt was made in a grassy nook, where the horses
were turned out to graze until dusk. Our route was then retraced to
the fork and the march resumed over the southern branch.
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