66 IN THE OLD WEST 



mule, and quickly brought it to the fire (which 

 La Bonte had rekindled), lavishing many a caress, 

 and most comical terms of endearment, upon the 

 faithful companion of his wanderings. They 

 found all the animals safe and well; and after 

 eating heartily of some venison which the Indians 

 had been cooking at the moment of the attack, 

 made instant preparations to quit the scene of 

 their exploit, not wishing to trust to the chance 

 of the Rapahos being too frightened to again 

 molest them. 



Having no saddles, they secured buffalo-robes 

 on the backs of two mules — Killbuck, of course, 

 riding his own — and lost no time in proceeding 

 on their wa3\ They followed the course of the 

 Indians up the stream, and found that it kept 

 the canons and gorges of the mountains, where 

 the road was better ; but it was with no little diffi- 

 culty that they made their way, the ground be- 

 ing much broken, and covered with rocks. Kill- 

 buck's wound became very painful, and his leg 

 stiffened and swelled distressingly, but he still 

 pushed on all night, and at daybreak, recognizing 

 their position, he left the Indian trail, and fol- 

 lowed a little creek which rose in a mountain- 

 chain of moderate elevation, and above which, 

 and to the south, Pike's Peak towered high into 

 the clouds. With great difficulty they crossed 

 this ridge, and ascending and descending several 

 smaller ones, which gradually smoothed away as 



