As it was the eve of the decisive struggle, Wayne was anxious to get a prisoner.

Wells went off with three companions--McClellan, a man named Mahaffy, and a man named May.

May, like Wells and Miller, had lived long with the Indians, first as a prisoner, and afterwards as an adopted member of their tribe, but had finally made his escape.

The four scouts succeeded in capturing an Indian man and woman, whom they bound securely.

Instead of returning at once with their captives, the champions, in sheer dare-devil, ferocious love of adventure, determined, as it was already nightfall, to leave the two bound Indians where they could find them again, and go into one of the Indian camps to do some killing.