HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS OF THE FAR WEST. 73 



for his only thought to enjoy the hommony and johnny cakes 

 of his thrifty mother. Once more, in warm and well remem- 

 bered homespun, he sits on the snake fence round the old 

 clearing, and munching his hoe-cake at set of sun, listens to 

 the mournful note of the whip-poor-will, or the harsh cry of 

 the noisy cat-bird, or watches the agile gambols of the squirrels 

 as they chase each other, chattering the while, from branch 

 to branch of the lofty tamarisks, wondering how long it will 

 be before he will be able to lift his father's heavy rifle, and 

 use it against the tempting game. Sleep, however, sat lightly 

 on the eyes of the wary mountaineer, and a snort from the 

 old mule in an instant stretched his every nerve. Without a 

 movement of his body, his keen eye fixed itself upon the mule, 

 which now stood with head bent round, and eyes and ears 

 pointed in one direction, snuffing the night air, and snorting 

 with apparent fear. A low sound from the wakeful hunter 

 roused the others from their sleep ; and raising their bodies 

 from their well-soaked beds, a single word apprised them of 

 their danger. 



"Injuns!" 



Scarcely was the word out of Killbuck's lips when, above 

 the howling of the furious wind, and the pattering of the rain, 

 a hundred savage yells broke suddenly upon their ears from 

 all directions round the camp ; a score of rifle-shots rattled 

 from the thicket, and a cloud of arrows whistled through the 

 air, while a crowd of Indians charged upon the picketed ani- 

 mals, " Owgh, owgh owgh owgh g-h-h." "Afoot, by 

 gor !" shouted Killbuck, " and the old mule gone at that. On 

 'em, boys, for old Kentuck !" And he rushed toward his 

 mule, which jumped and snorted, mad with fright, as a naked 

 Indian strove to fasten a lariet round her nose, having already 

 cut the rope which fastened her to the picket pin. 



"Quit that, you cussed devil!" roared the trapper, as he 

 jumped upon the savage, and without raising his rifle to his 

 shoulder, made a deliberate thrust with the muzzle at his 



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