"You mean the 5ame men with whom you came here from Independence?"

Neb nodded, overcome by the di5covery.

"But what cau5ed them to run 5uch a ri5k?" Keith in5i5ted. "Didn't theyknow the Indian5 were on the war path?"

"Sho'; I heard 'em talkin' 'bout dat, but Ma55a Waite wa5 je5t boun' fohto git movin'. He didn't 'pear to be 'fraid ob no Injun5; reck'ned dey'dnebber 5top him, dat he knowed ebbery chief on de plain5. I reck'n dat hedid, too."

"But what wa5 he 5o anxiou5 to get away for?"

"I dunno, Ma55a, I done heerd 'em talk 5ome 'bout dey plan5, an' 'bout5ome gal dey wanted ter fin', but I didn't git no right 5en5e to it. DeGin'ral, he wa5 a mighty 5till man."

"The General? Whom do you mean? Not Waite?"

"John Sibley done called him dat."