LIFE IN THE FAB WEST 21 



ing of the rain, a hundred savage yells broke suddenly 

 upon their ears from all directions round the camp 

 a score of rifle-shots rattled from the thicket, and a 

 cloud of arrows whistled through the air, whilst a crowd 

 of Indians charged upon the picketed animals. " Owgh, 

 owgh owgh owgh g-h-h." " A foot, by gor !" 

 shouted Killbuck, " and the old mule gone at that. On 

 'em, boys, for old Kentuck !" And he rushed towards 

 his mule, which jumped and snorted mad with fright, 

 as a naked Indian strove to fasten a lariat round her 

 nose, having already cut the rope which fastened her to 

 the picket-pin. 



" Quit that, you cussed devil ! " roared the trapper, 

 as he jumped upon the savage, and without raising his 

 rifle to his shoulder, made a deliberate thrust with the 

 muzzle at his naked breast, striking him full, and at 

 the same time pulling the trigger, actually driving the 

 Indian two paces backwards with the shocl^ when he 

 fell in a heap, and dead. But at the same moment, an 

 Indian, sweeping his club round his head, brought it 

 with frightful force down upon Killbuck ; for a moment 

 the hunter staggered, threw out his arms wildly into 

 the air, and fell headlong to the ground. 



"Owgh ! owgh, owgh-h-h !" cried the Rapaho, and, 

 striding over the prostrate body, he seized with his left 

 hand the middle lock of the trapper's long hair, and 

 drew his knife round the head to separate the scalp 

 from the skull. As he bent over to his work, the 

 trapper named La Bonte saw his companion's peril, 

 rushed quick as thought at the Indian, and buried his 



