On past dark farmhouses whose occupants were sound asleep; past somber, solemn woods, so beautiful in the daylight, but so dense, mysterious, almost terrifying at night; across murmuring black streams; up long hills which made the tired horses breathe heavily, and down the other side where one had to hold a tight rein to keep the faithful animals from stumbling. Occasionally a bat swooped low enough to make Desiré duck her head with fright, and once, while Jack was napping, she caught sight of a huge dark bulk near the edge of a woods; but it disappeared before the snorting horses could be urged onward.
At last the moonlight darkness faded to grey; then to a lighter grey; the sky was slashed with faint rose, growing rapidly deeper and mingling with gold streaks, until the sun climbed up to survey the land; and another day had come.
"Look, Jack!" cried Desiré, elbowing her sleeping brother.
They were on the crest of a hill, from which they could look down into a nearby valley.
"Tents!" exclaimed the boy, now fully aroused.
"Indians!" shouted Priscilla, who, wakened by their voices, had crept up to look over their shoulders.
"Prissy! How you scared me!" cried her sister, jumping violently.
Jack took the reins, and, as fast as the team could travel, headed for the encampment. They reached their objective just as the Indians were beginning to break camp. Everything was in confusion; braves striding here and there; squaws shouldering the big bundles; children crying; dogs barking. Running back and forth from one group to another, they spied René.
Throwing the reins to Desiré, Jack jumped down and approached an Indian who seemed to be directing affairs. With some difficulty, he made the red man understand his story. Partly by signs, partly by broken English, the chief replied that "two suns ago they had found strange white child among them. Where belong, they not know. Going on to reservation. Then send back young brave who know English to find boy's people."
At that moment, René caught sight of his brother, ran across the grass, and threw himself into Jack's arms, crying:
"I found Indians, Jack! I found Indians! Ain't they _fine_?"
"Yes, I see you did, and they are fine," replied the boy gravely, handing him over to Desiré, who had left the team and hurried toward them. "Put him in the wagon, and bring me all the candy we have."