Adios!"
With a wave of the hand, the sergeant led his column out of the
clearing, and, climbing the hill, struck into the southwest, where lay
the fort.
When they were gone Singing Bird came out of the woods in which she had
been hiding, for she was in mortal terror of Woofer.
When she knew that Woofer was in the vicinity she had run into the woods
and immediately climbed into a tall pine tree that grew on the hill,
where she was sure he would not be able to find her.
Now, when she came forth, she ran to Stella, in a very much excited
state.
"Sister," she cried. "I have found it!"
"Found what?" asked Stella, in surprise at the girl's emotion, for
usually she had the stoicism of her Indian blood.
"I have found the place of the secret, the place of the mother gold,"
cried Singing Bird, trembling with excitement.
"I have seen it, the place where my mother lay," she continued, when her
excitement had somewhat passed away.
"How?" asked the puzzled Stella.
"When I climbed the tree I saw the big, muddy river lying over there. I
looked about. It seemed that I had seen it the same before. Then I
remembered the night the white men killed my mother, and it all came
back to me. Woofer was one of the men. He knew that we were coming near
to it."
"How did you recognize it as the place?" asked Stella.
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