162 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



bullet some time before, and the ball still remained. 

 The wound, aggravated by walking and the excessive 

 cold, assumed an ugly appearance, and soon rendered 

 him incapable of sustained exertion, all motion even 

 being attended with intolerable pain. La Bonte had 

 made a shanty for his suffering companion, and spread 

 a soft bed of pine branches for him, by the side of a 

 small creek at the point where it came out of the 

 mountain and followed its course through a little prairie. 

 They had been three days without other food than a 

 piece of parfleche, which had formed the back of La 

 Bonte's bullet-pouch, and which, after soaking in the 

 creek, they eagerly devoured. Killbuck was unable to 

 move, and sinking fast from exhaustion. His companion 

 had hunted from morning till night, as well as his failing 

 strength would allow him, but had not seen the traces 

 of any kind of game, with the exception of some old 

 buffalo tracks, made apparently months before by a 

 band of bulls crossing the mountain. 



The morning of the fourth day, La Bonte as usual 

 rose at daybreak from his blanket, and was proceeding 

 to collect wood for the fire during his absence while 

 hunting, when Killbuck called to him, and in an almost 

 inarticulate voice desired him to seat himself by his 

 side. 



" Boy," he said, " this old hos feels like goin' under, 

 and that afore long. You're stout yet, and if thar was 

 meat handy, you'd come round slick. Now, boy, I'll be 

 under, as I said, afore many hours, and if you don't 

 raise meat you'll be in the same fix. I never eat dead 



