148 ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



Steward came back about noon of the fifth day, and, 

 while we were out packing our meat, these same rascals 

 went to our camp and stole everything we had, excepting 

 the tent. Upon our return to camp, we went for some bis- 

 cuits and potatoes that had been left from breakfast. The 

 red man's moccasins led the way, but no potatoes nor bis- 

 cuits were there. With their little hatchets they had cut 

 down five elk hams that were hanging to the limbs of our 

 cottonwood. Perhaps they thought they were only taking 

 their own, as we had killed plenty of game upon their res- 

 ervation. 



Steward looked around until he had taken in the ex- 

 tent of our losses. He then threw down his hat as though 

 he were challenging some one to mortal combat, plucked at 

 the few hairs upon his head, and swore by the red arms of 

 the war-chief, that he would have revenge before anything 

 else was done. 



Night was approaching, and I felt that it would be 

 both foolish and dangerous for us to tackle the reds at such 

 an hour, so I tried to mollify the old man. 



"Better wait until morning," I said, "then we will fol- 

 low them up and have satisfaction out of them." 



He went on like an unreasonable child,, until his pas- 

 sion cooled down somewhat, when we made a supper of elk 

 meat and rested comfortably upon our horse blankets. 



When we reached the ranch the same day, we found 

 that Crazy Head, a great chief among the Crows, and his 

 band were stopping near. I spent the greater part of the 

 next day lounging around the Indian camp, observing their 

 actions, and gleaning some ideas as to their inner life from 

 their talk. They were preparing for a long journey, there- 

 fore all the sick must be cured before the start. They went 

 through the entire course of their medicine-making, and the 



