He had gone so far, even, as to visit a distant camp-fire, whose smoke still faintly showed against the clear sky, but failed to see a living person.
He was on the point of giving over his quest, when the unexpected happened.

Within a few hundred yards of the break in the canyon he caught sight of Motoza and Tozer holding another consultation.

They had evidently just met, and the configuration of the ground enabled Hazletine to steal near enough to catch some of the words spoken by the couple.
The two were standing face to face, and their actions were peculiar.
Motoza was in the act of handing his Winchester rifle to Tozer, who, accepting the weapon, turned it over and examined it with interest.
Since he could not speak the Sioux he used the English language, of which, as will be remembered, Motoza possessed a fair knowledge.
"You're lucky," he said; "the gun is worth more than yours.

So you made a trade with the young man ?" "Yes--me trade," replied the Sioux, his painted face relaxing with the grin that had become almost chronic.
"I don't s'pose he made any objection--that is, he gave you his gun without making a kick ?" The Sioux nodded his head and still grinned, Tozer joining him in the last expression of his feelings.
"How about his revolver ?" "He gib me that," said the scamp, drawing forth the handsome weapon, where Hazletine had not observed it, thrust into the girdle about his waist.
There was no mistaking the meaning of these words and proceedings.

All doubt was removed as to the abduction of Fred Greenwood.