Fred had made his way but a short distance up the side of the mountain, when he became assured that he was upon the right track.  Standing upon a lower plane and looking upward, he saw that the column of smoke from the camp-fire was brought in relief against the sky beyond.  The vapor was of nearly the same rarity as the natural atmosphere, and was almost stationary—­a fact which also proved that the fire from which it arose had not been replenished, as, in such a case, a disturbance would have been produced that would have prevented this stationary feature.

When the lad was within some fifty yards of the camp-fire, he discovered that he was not nearly as hungry as he supposed, and, at the same time, he began to suspect that he had entered upon a very risky undertaking.

“I don’t know how I came to do it,” he said to himself, as he hesitated.  If there’s a camp-fire in this part of the world, it must have been kindled by Indians, and it’s very likely that some of them are hanging around, so that if I attempt to get too close, I’ll tumble right into their hands.  I can wait till to-morrow for something to eat, so I guess I’ll go back.”

But, curiously enough, he had scarcely started to act upon this decision when he was tormented more than ever with hunger, and he turned about with a desperate resolve.

“I won’t stop again!  I will go!”

As has been already intimated, the camp-fire, which had played such an important part in the events of the afternoon had been started immediately behind a large rock, the evident purpose being to mislead the very ones who were decieved by it.  Consequently, the boy could not gain a fair view of it without making a detour to the right or left, or by coming rather suddenly upon it from behind the rock.  Just then it was shut out entirely from view.

Fred stole along like a veritable Indian scout, until he was within arms’ length of the rock.  Then he sank down upon his hands and knees, and, making sure that he was enveloped in shadow, he crept forward, with the utmost possible stealth, until at last he reached a point where he had but to thrust his head forward around the corner, and the camp-fire would be before him.

Here it was natural that he should pause awhile longer, for the very crisis of this perilous task had been reached.

The silence remained as profound as the tomb.  Not a rustle, not the slightest sound, even such as would have been made by a sleeping person—­surely no one could be there.  The camp-fire must be deserted and all his precaution useless.

CHAPTER XVII FORAGING FOR FOOD

Fred’s fear was that if any of the Apaches were near at hand they would hear the beating of his heart—­so intense was his excitement and anxiety.  But delay seemed only to increase it, and, pressing close to the corner, he removed his cap and stealthily shoved his head forward until he could look along the other side.