302 SPOUTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



make any noise, to open fire on them ; and after the sec- 

 ond volley from our shot-guns they disappeared in the 

 gloom like magic, leaving three dead and two mortally 

 wounded behind them. The latter two were finished with 

 our hunting -knives; and, throwing their carcasses on a 

 tree, we put out the blazing fire by scattering it, and cov- 

 ering it with wet leaves and branches. 



We then loaded our arms and waited patiently for day- 

 light ; for it was our intention to be the first to make a 

 movement if the Indians came to hunt us up, or make any 

 hostile demonstration. 



We could not have slept, even if we desired to do so, as 

 the wolves were howling fearfully all night long ; and their 

 cries, which sounded more weird and dismal than even 

 those of the squaw, were kept up so uninterruptedly that 

 they would seemingly awake the Seven Sleepers. 



About five o'clock the first streaks of dawn appeared, 

 and, as soon as it was light enough to move about, we 

 emerged from the tent, and, taking the dog with us, con- 

 cealed ourselves in a dense thicket about two hundred 

 yards away, so that we could watch the movements of the 

 Indians should they approach the camp. We adopted this 

 measure instead of retreating, for the reason that we did 

 not know how they would treat us. If they intended to 

 do us any injury, we surmised that they could readily over- 

 take us ; if they did not, we thought it unnecessary to 

 change our quarters until we desired to do so ; neither did 

 we wish to show them we feared them — a most dangei'- 

 ous thing to do; but besides this was the fact that we 

 knew we could escape from them more readily on foot than 

 on horseback in that region of woods and chasms. 



In the course of half an hour we heard the mules kick- 

 ing and plunging and neighing with fright, and guessed, 

 from their actions, that our anticipated visitors were near 

 the camp, for a mule can wind an Indian when no other 

 quadruped would be aware of his presence; and as it has 

 the greatest fear of him, it is by far the best sentinel known 

 to announce his coming. Pccrincr from amidst our folia- 



