70 IN THE OLD WEST 



take their seats by the eldest cliief. Then Kill- 

 buck was called upon to give his opinion as to the 

 direction in which he judged the Rapahos to be 

 approacliing, which he delivered in their own 

 language, with which he was well acquainted. In 

 a short time the council broke up ; and without 

 noise or confusion, a band of one hundred chosen 

 warriors left the village, immediately after one 

 of the scouts had galloped in and communicated 

 some intelligence to the chiefs. Killbuck and La 

 Bonte volunteered to accompany the war-party, 

 weak and exhausted as they were; but this was 

 negatived by the chiefs, who left their white 

 brothers to the care of the women, who tended 

 their wounds, now stiff and painful; and spread- 

 ing their buffalo-robes in a warm and roomy lodge, 

 left them to the repose they so much needed. 



