Evidently believing himself safe, Woofer did not again look around, but
walked slowly and silently toward the tents, which were plainly to be
seen about fifty feet distant from the fire.
The tent in which the Indian girl was sleeping was farther from the fire
than that occupied by Mrs. Graham and her two charges.
Ted had slipped from his blankets at the moment when Woofer rose to his
feet, and was creeping along, close to the ground paralleling Woofer's
progress, but about twenty feet to the left.
Woofer arrived at the Indian girl's shelter and stopped, and seemed to
be listening.
This gave Ted time to creep nearer.
He saw the cow-puncher lift the flap of the tent and look within, still
listening carefully for anything that would tell him that Singing Bird
was awake.
Ted was not more than ten feet away when Woofer disappeared.
He had entered the tent.
Suddenly from within it there came a muffled cry, then the tent began to
pitch and toss. Evidently a savage struggle was going on within.
But it was all so silent that had Ted not been within striking distance
of it, he would not have heard anything of it.
Suddenly the tent flew apart, and Woofer appeared, carrying in his arms
the insensible form of the Indian girl.
Woofer was a very powerful man, and he ran swiftly from the tent bearing
the girl in his arms as if she were a child.
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