96 SADDLE AND CAMP 



"Bill, you sound like you was plumb locoed. 

 Set in and have some grub." 



The Indian still sat immovable and silent, 

 giving no intimation that he heard. 



"He don't understand our lingo," said John. 

 "I'll try him with his own." 



With two or three words of Indian from 

 John, which were quite unintelligible to me, 

 the Indian slid from his horse, squatted by the 

 fire, and proceeded to devour everything that 

 was offered him. Then he sat for half an hour 

 and smoked, and finally, having spoken less 

 than a dozen words, which were of course in 

 Navajo, remounted and silently disappeared. 

 Where he came from or whither he went we 

 did not know, but the following day he joined 

 us some miles beyond, apparently springing 

 out of the sand, and offered some blankets for 

 sale. I purchased a small one, and we left him, 

 sitting on his pony on the summit of a knoll, 

 gazing into the distance. 



Thenceforward other Indians rode into our 

 night camps, sometimes whooping to announce 

 their approach, but usually appearing like ap- 

 paritions, seldom seen or heard until we dis- 

 covered them sitting bolt upright and silent on 

 their ponies, looking down at us in the fire- 

 light. 





