AN UNERRING SPITTER. 151 



rifleman again, narrowly missing my hand ; " Not at all, 

 sir ('squit'), it's not incommodious at all," and "squit" 

 he went again, delivering a double shot this time. This 

 was more than I could bear, so pushing away my valise with 

 my foot, I said, " Sir, my writing materials are in that 

 little trunk, and if your tobacco juice gets in anywhere 

 my paper will be considerably soiled." "Good heavens, 

 sir," said my little nervous friend, now covered with con 

 fusion, "I beg ten thousand pardons; I did not know 

 what I was doing ; I am quite shocked, Lord Berkeley," 

 when looking really the picture of remorseful and mortified 

 distress, he searched his pockets for a handkerchief, but he 

 had not got one, which, as he saw that I was observing him, 

 increased his confusion. Being sorry indeed to see my 

 little friend thus annoyed, for he had intended me no 

 discourtesy, I espied on the deck apiece of an old "swab," 

 which with a glove on I instantly seized, and with it rub 

 bed the filthy stains away, assuring my friend that it was 

 all right, and no harm whatever done in any one way. 



By this time " the Bloody Arm of the Rocky Moun* 

 tains," and many other people and idlers who had come 

 on board, had exhausted themselves and taken their 

 departure, and I then accepted the invitation of the 

 gentleman who kept the Planter's House in Kansas city, 

 to take up my residence with him during the time that 

 I was perfecting my camp equipage for the desert, and I 

 did so chiefly because his house of entertainment was a 

 little out of the town, and, in addition, he offered me 

 good rooms for my servant and my dogs. The English 

 man, Mr Powell, who had accosted me, also having 

 offered me his assistance in any mode I might require, I 

 at once accepted his proposition with all thanks, and it 



