226 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



at it : "that ar shuffle-toe seems handy to me now, I 

 tell you." 



"The man as used to ride that hos is long gone 

 under, but the hos, darn the old crittur, is old Bill 

 Williams's, I'll swar by hook." 



"Well, it aint nothin else," continued La Bonte, 

 satisfying himself by a long look ; " it's the old boy's 

 hos as sure as shootin : and them Rapahos has rubbed 

 him out at last, and raised his animals. Ho, boy ! let's 

 lift their hair." 



"Agreed," answered Killbuck ; and away they started 

 in pursuit, determined to avenge the death of their old 

 comrade. 



They followed the track through the bottom and 

 into the stream, which it crossed, and passing a few 

 yards up the bank, entered the water again, when they 

 could see nothing more of it. Puzzled at this, they 

 sought on each side the river, but in vain ; and, not 

 wishing to lose more time in the search, they pro- 

 ceeded through the timber on the banks to find a good 

 camping-place for the night, which had been their 

 object in riding in advance of the cavallada. On the 

 left bank, a short distance before them, was a heavy 

 growth of timber, and the river ran in one place close to 

 a high bluff, between which and the water was an 

 almost impervious thicket of plum and cherry trees. 

 The grove of timber ended before it reached this point, 

 and but few scattered trees grew in the little glade 

 which intervened, and which was covered with tolerable 

 grass. This being fixed upon as an excellent camp, 



