NIP AND THE INDIAN. 217 



had hardly done this when, from the spot whence the deer 

 had come into sight, there appeared a horseman a Ute ! 

 The Indian was well mounted, and his steed was going 

 his best pace venire a terre. Whether he observed me 

 or not I could not tell ; probably he did not, for while he 

 was in full view in the open ground I was riding through 

 a growth of dwarf cedars reaching up a little above my head. 

 It was a race between us, but the Indian had greatly the 

 advantage in the ground, and the fact was immediately 

 apparent I should be distanced. 



The deer and dog disappeared into the thicket simul- 

 taneously. They seemed to tumble headlong into it, as 

 if the dog had seized the deer as they did so. Crossing a 

 rough hollow I lost sight for a while of the place ; and 

 when I again came in view of it, the Ute's horse was 

 standing at the edge of the thicket tied to a tree ; the 

 Indian having doubtlessly followed deer and dog into the 

 jungle. Fastening my steed near that of the Indian, I 

 forced my way through the underbrush in a direction from 

 which came a most extraordinary duet, and was soon in 

 sight of the performers. 



Astride the dead body of the deer stood the redoubtable 

 Nip, his hair turned the wrong way, his lips drawn back 

 exhibiting his long fangs, and giving utterance to deep 

 growls and making savage snaps. Scarce twenty feet 

 from him stood the Ute' hunter on the defensive ; his drawn 

 bow was in one hand, the other held the arrow, and he 

 was violently remonstrating with the dog. The Indian 

 spoke in Ute, throwing in a liberal allowance of such 

 English as he could manage on the chance of its duly 



