IN THE OLD WEST 39 



that ar Englishman just saved the cavayard. 

 He had his horse, a regular buffalo-runner, pick- 

 eted round the fire quite handy, and as soon as he 

 sees the fix, he jumps upon her and rides right 

 into the thick of the mules, and passes through 

 'em, firing his two-shoot gun at the Injuns ; and, 

 by gor, he made two come. The mules, which 

 was a-snortin' with funk and running before the 

 Injuns, as soon as they see the Englishman's 

 mare (mules '11 go to h — after a horse, you all 

 know), followed her right into the corral, and 

 thar they was safe. Fifty Pawnees came screechin' 

 after 'em, but we was ready that time, and the 

 way we throw'd 'em was something handsome, I 

 tell you. But three of the hoss-guard got 

 skeared — leastwise their mules did, and carried 

 'em off into the peraira, and the Injuns, having 

 enough of us, dashed after 'em right away. Them 

 poor devils looked back miserable now, with about 

 a hundred red varmints tearin' after their hair, 

 and whooping like mad. Young Jem Bulcher was 

 the last ; and when he seed it was no use, and his 

 time was nigh, he throw'd himself off the mule, 

 and standing as upright as a hickory wiping-stick, 

 he waves his hand to us, and blazes away at the 

 first Injun as come up, and dropped him slick; 

 but the moment after, you may guess, he died. 



" We could do nothin', for, before our guns 

 were loaded, all three were dead and their scalps 

 gone. Five of our boys got rubbed out that time, 



