The Last of the Plainsmen 



&quot; Now, Rea, for the calves,&quot; exclaimed Jones, 

 &quot; and then we re homeward bound.&quot; 



&quot; I hate to tell this redskin,&quot; replied Rea. &quot; He ll 

 be like the others. But it ain t likely he d desert 

 us here. He s far from his base, with nothin but 

 thet old musket.&quot; Rea then commanded the atten 

 tion of the brave, and began to mangle the Great 

 Slave and Yellow Knife languages. Of this mixture 

 Jones knew but few words. &quot; Ageter nechila,&quot; which 

 Rea kept repeating, he knew, however, meant &quot; musk- 

 oxen little.&quot; 



The guide stared, suddenly appeared to get Rea s 

 meaning, then vigorously shook his head and gazed 

 at Jones in fear and horror. Following this came 

 an action as singular as inexplicable. Slowly rising, 

 he faced the north, lifted his hand, and remained stat 

 uesque in his immobility. Then he began deliberately 

 packing his blankets and traps on his sled, which had 

 not been unhitched from the train of dogs. 



u Jackoway ditchen hula,&quot; he said, and pointed 

 south. 



&quot; Jackoway ditchen hula,&quot; echoed Rea. &quot;The 

 damned Indian says wife sticks none. He s goin 

 to quit us. What do you think of thet? His wife s 

 out of wood. Jackoway out of wood, an here we 

 are two days from the Arctic Ocean! Jones, the 

 damned heathen don t go back ! &quot; 



172 



