332 IN THE OLD WEST 



on all sides. The women and children were all 

 consigned to the interior of the wagons ; and the 

 latter had also guns in readiness to take their 

 part in the defense, should an attack be made. 



However, they had seen no Indians, and no fresh 

 sign, for two days after they left the Boiling 

 Spring River, and they began to think they were 

 well out of their neighborhood. One evening they 

 camped on a creek called Black Horse, and, as 

 usual, had corraled the wagons, and forted as 

 well as circumstances would permit, when three or 

 four Indians suddenly appeared on a bluff at a 

 little distance, and, making signals of peaceable 

 intentions, approached the camp. Most of the 

 men were absent at the time, attending to the 

 cattle or collecting fuel, and only old Brand and 

 one of his young grandchildren, about fourteen 

 years old, remained in camp. The Indians were 

 hospitably received, and regaled with a smoke, 

 after which they began to evince their curiosity 

 by examining every article lying about, and signi- 

 fying their wishes that it should be given to them. 

 Finding their hints were not taken, they laid hold 

 of several things which took their fancies, and, 

 amongst others, of the pot which was boiling on 

 the fire, and with which one of them was about 

 very coolly to walk off, when old Brand, who up 

 to this moment had retained possession of his 

 temper, seized it out of the Indian's hand and 

 knocked him down. One of the others instantly 



