LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 153 



amongst them, and galloped off, a volley of balls and 

 arrows whistling after him. He drew no bit until he 

 reined up at the camp-fire, where he found Bill quietly 

 dressing a deer-skin. That worthy looked up from 

 his work ; and seeing Markhead's face streaming with 

 blood, and the very unequivocal evidence of an Indian 

 rencontre in the shape of an arrow sticking in his 

 back, he asked, " Do 'ee feel bad now, boy 1 Whar 

 away you see them darned Blackfoot ? " 



" Well, pull this arrow out of my back, and may be 

 I'll feel like telling," answered Markhead. 



"Do 'ee hyar now? hold on till I've grained this 

 cussed skin, will 'ee ] Did 'ee ever see sich a darned 

 pelt, now ? it won't take the smoke anyhow I fix it." 

 And Markhead was fain to wait the leisure of the 

 imperturbable old trapper, before he was eased of his 

 annoying companion. 



Old Bill expressed no surprise or grief when informed 

 of the fate of poor Batiste. He said it was "just like 

 greenhorns, runnin' into them cussed Blackfoot ; " and 

 observed that the defunct trapper, being only a Vide- 

 p6che, was " no account anyhow." Presently Killbuck 

 and La Bonte galloped into camp, with another alarm of 

 Indians. They had also been attacked suddenly by a 

 band of Blackfeet, but, being in a more open country, 

 had got clear off, after killing two of their assailants, 

 whose scalps hung at the horns of their saddles. They 

 had been in a different direction to that in which 

 Markhead and his companion had proceeded, and from 

 the signs they had observed, expressed their belief that 



