186 IN THE OLD WEST 



bj one of La Bonte's companions, and saluted 

 as " Old Rube." Dreased from licad to foot in 

 buckskin, his face, neck, and hands appeared to 

 be of the same leather j texture, so nearly did 

 they assimilate in color to the materials of his 

 dress. He was at least six feet two or three in 

 his moccasins, straight-limbed and wiry, with 

 long arms ending in hands of tremendous grasp, 

 and a quantity of straight black hair hanging on 

 his shoulders. His features, which were undeni- 

 ably good, wore an expression of comical gravity, 

 never relaxing into a smile, which a broad good- 

 humored mouth could have grinned from ear to 

 ear. 



" What, boys ! " he said, " will you be simple 

 enough to camp here alongside these springs? 

 Nothing good ever came of sleeping here, I teli 

 you, and the worst kind of devils are in those 

 dancing waters." 



"Why, old boss," cried La Bonte, "what 

 brings you hyar then, and camp at that? " 



" This nigger," answered Rube, solemnly, 

 " has been down'd upon a sight too often to be 

 skeared by what can come out from them waters ; 

 and thar am't a devil as hisses thar as can shine 

 with this child, I tell you. I've tried him onest, 

 an* fout him to clawin' away to Eustis ; * and if 



* A small lake near the head-waters of the Yellow Stone, 

 near which are some curious thermal springs of ink-black 

 water. 



