noon
Reuben and I , and other young men , performed that necessary duty for several hours each day . Early in the morning of the second day we caught sight in the distance of a couple of horsemen with long spears in their hands . They galloped towards us , apparently to ascertain who we were ; then , wheeling round , they quickly disappeared , and though we were on the watch we saw no more of them . When we halted at noon , we of course reported the circumstance . As it showed that Redskins were in the neighbourhood , several more men were told off to act as scouts , with orders to retreat towards the train the moment they might see any Indians , whether few or many . Reuben , Mike , and I were advancing as I have described , somewhat ahead of the train , when towards evening we entered a valley , the hills sloping away on either side of it . At the further end we expected to find a stream , at the side of which we could encamp .