IN THE OLD WEST 277 



" The man as used to ride that hoss is long gone 

 under, but the hoss, darn the old critter, is old 

 Bill Williams's, I'll swar by hook." 



" Well, it ain't nothin' else," continued La 

 Bonte, satisfying himself by a long look ; " it's the 

 old boy's hoss as sure as shootin': and them 

 Rapahos has rubbed him out at last, and raised 

 his animals. Ho, boy ! let's lift their hair." 



" Agreed," answered Killbuck ; and away they 

 started in pursuit, determined to avenge the death 

 of their old comrade. 



They followed the track through the bottom 

 and into the stream, which it crossed, and passing 

 a few yards up the bank, entered the water again, 

 when they could see nothing more of it. Puzzled 

 at this, they sought on each side the river, but 

 in vain ; and, not wishing to lose more time in the 

 search, they proceeded through the timber on the 

 banks to find a good camping-place for the night, 

 which had been their object in riding in advance 

 of the cavallada. On the left bank, a short dis- 

 tance before them, was a heavy growth of timber, 

 and the river ran in one place close to a high bluff, 

 between which and the water was an almost im- 

 pervious thicket of plum and cherry trees. The 

 grove of timber ended before it reached this point, 

 and but few scattered trees grew in the little 

 glade which intervened, and which was covered 

 with tolerable grass. This being fixed upon as an 

 excellent camp, the two mountaineers rode into the 



