THE MULE DEER 307 



how they had surprised the Bannocks ; and a nice trick it 

 was, I tell you. Two of them dressed in the skins of the 

 black bear came out on a knoll in sight of the camp, and 

 began to act as Cuffey does, by raising themselves on their 

 hind-legs, hanging down their paws, and tossing their head 

 as that coon does when he is playing. The Bannocks saw 

 them, and about twenty went out to capture them, intend- 

 ing to have lots of fun ; but before they had gone a mile 

 from the village they ran into a pile of Blackfeet, who were 

 in ambush in a ravine, and these bounced 'em at once and 

 killed seven of them. 



" When the Bannocks learned of their loss, the squaws 

 and children set up the most tremendous piece of howling 

 and crying I ever heard, and kept it going for two or three 

 days ; while the boasting skunks, who had run away like 

 scared antelopes, told of the great deeds of those who wei'e 

 scalped, though I doubt if they did anything more than 

 scoot for camp as fast as they could. 



" When the wild howling was over, the village moved 

 north, and I went with them, trapping and hunting wher- 

 ever I had a chance. I learned their language in a short 

 time ; but as I wasn't dead in love with their company, I 

 left them as soon as I had a load of peltries, and went back 

 to the settlements for three months. 



"I saw Jem again during the Snake War, as I was a 

 Government scout, and did him a good turn when the In- 

 juns were whipped. I have also met him several times 

 since then, and always treated him kindly, so that he ought 

 to remember me; and if he didn't do me a kindness I 

 should consider he was meaner than a rattlesnake, or a ta- 

 rantula and a skunk put together." 



While telling this tale he was preparing breakfast, and, 

 when we finished that, he proposed that we should visit 

 the Indian camp and cemetery on our way back. 



A walk of twenty minutes brought us to their village, 

 which was picturesquely situated on the banks of the riv- 

 ulet, and on the edge of the forest. When we entered, the 

 chief met us and led us to his wigwam, and we were soon 



