cheadle's wits wool-gathering. 93 



dream ; thoughts of home, and old familiar scenes and 

 faces took possession of his brain ; 



" Old wishes, ghosts of broken plans, 

 And phantom hopes assemble ;" 



and La Eonde, buffalo and all, were completely for- 

 gotten. Suddenly he was aroused from his reverie by 

 a great shouting of " Tir done ! tir, Docteur ! tir-r, 

 sacre ! tonnerre ! tir-r-r ! " and there were the buffalo 

 rushing by as hard as they could tear, wdth La Eonde 

 and Misquapamayoo running after them, blazing 

 away as rapidly as they could load. They fired 

 at random and without effect, but Cheadle, more 

 dehberate, wounded one badly in the body, which 

 pulled up for a moment, and then followed behind 

 the rest. 



La Eonde, utterly disgusted, refused to follow 

 them, and vowed that never again would he lead the 

 absent-minded Cheadle up to buffalo. He declared that 

 he had waited a full half hour, expecting him to 

 shoot, and then being impatient, he whistled softly ; 

 one of the bulls arose, presenting his broadside, 

 and he thought that surely that fine chance would be 

 taken. Again he waited a long time, and then waved 

 his cap as a signal to fire, but in vain. At last, in a 

 fit of despair and rage, he jumped up and shouted as 

 before related. 



After a short rest, and having somewhat recovered 

 their equanimity, they again set out, and soon 

 observed a herd of twelve feeding, still undisturbed. 

 As they had already nearly enough meat, it was 

 agreed to give the boy a chance, and he accordingly 



