They smoked, there in that unsavoury tepee, saying nothing at all.

Casey had achieved the first part of his dream; he was making friends with Injun Jim.
Later he went down to his own camp, leading William.

It was hard to wait and watch for the proper moment to broach the subject that filled his mind, and then induce the old Indian to talk.

Casey was beginning to understand why no one had wormed the secret from Jim.

When you are hundreds of miles and many months distant from a problem, it is easy to decide that you will do so and so, and handle the matter differently from the bungling men you have heard about.