WITH THE BLUECOATS ON THE BORDER. 159 



have been fishing in the stream, pull in their lines and race 

 along the shore, their coarse black hair floating out behind, 

 and their bronze - colored, naked limbs moving with untram- 

 melled ease, as they easily keep pace with the boat; young 

 bucks mounted on half-tamed ponies gallop along, and mingle 

 with the throng, the white sombreros and light blue uniforms 

 of the Indian police contrast strangely with the party-colored 

 rags of their fellow- savages. As we slowly paddle up to the 

 landing we make our preparations to land, recognizing our ac- 

 quaintances in the little group of shoulder- strapped bluecoats 

 near the ambulance, which has just been drawn up to the 

 bank by its team of four strong mules, and are soon exchang- 

 ins: greetinos with our friends. 



" Here, sergeant, this baggage to my quarters, please. Now, 

 then, all aboard! Fire away, driver !" And with crack of long- 

 thonged whip and simultaneous lashing out of four pair of 

 iron-shod heels, away we go over the prairie to the post. Hi, 

 mules ! rattle along through the tepees, dusky faces peering 

 through the dark openings in their sides ; swing around the 

 corner past the Agent's house, into the broad road by the 

 Agency buildings, past the traders stores with the lounging 

 red -skins sunning themselves, leaning against the rough, mud- 

 plastered walls, or going in and out of the open door-way; doff 

 your hats, gentlemen, to smiling, prettily dressed lady driving 

 by in pony- cart. Rattle along, mules, past the log-huts of the 

 Indian scouts, with the little, half -naked, black -eyed children 

 scurrying hastily away to the shelter of their roofs, to where 

 the squaws are seated on the ground by the fires in the open 

 air, or engaged in some menial work — past the group of white- 

 sheeted, painted-faced young bucks gambling for cartridges on 

 the road-side — out again on the dusty plain through outlying 

 tepees — up to the trim, clean " adobe " barracks of the soldiers, 



