LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. Ill 



tlieir breasts. Before the trappers had time to turn their 

 horses and fly, a cloud of smoke burst from the thicket 

 almost in their faces. Batiste, pierced with several balls, 

 fell dead, and Markhead felt himself severely wounded. 

 However, he struck the spurs into his horse ; and as some 

 half -score Blackfeet jumped with loud cries from their 

 cover, he discharged his rifle amongst them, and galloped 

 off, a volley of balls and arrows whistling after him. He 

 drew no bit until he reined up at the camp-fire, where 

 he found Bill quietly dressing a deer-skin. That worthy 

 looked up from his work ; and seeing Markhead's face 

 streaming with blood, and the very unequivocal evidence 

 of an Indian rencontre in the shape of an arrow sticking in 

 his back, he asked, " Do 'ee feel bad, now, boy ? Whar 

 away you see them darned Blackfoot ? " 



" Well, pull this arrow out of my back, and maybe I'll 

 feel like telling," answered Markhead. 



" Do 'ee hyar, now ? hold on till I've grained this cussed 

 skin, will 'ee ? Did 'ee ever see sich a darned pelt, now ? 

 it won't take the smoke anyhow I fix it." And Markhead 

 was fain to wait the leisure of the imperturbable old trap- 

 per, before he was eased of his annoying companion. 



Old Bill expressed no surprise or grief when informed 

 of the fate of poor Batiste. He said it was "just like 

 greenhorns, runnin' into them cussed Blackfoot ; and ob- 

 served that the defunct trapper, being only a Videpoche, 

 was "no account anyhow." Presently Killbuck and La 

 Bonte galloped into camp, with another alarm of Indians, 

 They had also been attacked suddenly by a band of Black- 

 feet, but, being in a more open country, had got clear off, 

 after killing two of their assailants, whose scalps hung at 

 the horns of their saddles. They had been in a different 

 direction to that in which Markhead and his companion 

 had proceeded, and from the signs they had observed, ex- 

 pressed their belief that the country was alive with Indians. 

 Neither of these men had been wounded. Presently the 

 two Canadians made their appearance on the bluff, gallop- 

 ing with might and main to camp, and shouting " Indians ! 

 Indians ! " as they came. All being assembled and a 



