186 IN THE OLD WEST 



to look neither to the right nor left, but, in 

 fact his little twinkling eye was everywhere. He 

 looked at no one he was addressing, always seem- 

 ing to be thinking of something else than the sub- 

 ject of his discourse, speaking in a whining, thin, 

 cracked voice, and in a tone that left the hearer 

 in doubt whether he was laughing or crying. On 

 the present occasion he had joined this band, and 

 naturally assumed the leadership (for Bill ever 

 refused to go in harness), in opposition to his 

 usual practice, which was to hunt alone. His 

 character was well known. Acquainted with 

 every inch of the Far West, and with all the In- 

 dian tribes who inhabited it, he never failed to 

 outwit his red enemies, and generally made his 

 appearance at the rendezvous, from his solitary 

 expeditions, with galore of beaver, when numerous 

 bands of trappers dropped in on foot, having 

 been despoiled of their packs and animals by the 

 very Indians through the midst of whom old Wil- 

 liams had contrived to pass unseen and unmolested. 

 On occasions when he had been in company with 

 others, and attacked by Indians, Bill invariably 

 fought manfully, and with all the coolness that 

 perfect indifference to death or danger could give, 

 but always " on his own hook." His rifle cracked 

 away merrily, and never spoke in vain; and in a 

 charge — if ever it came to that — his keen- 

 edged butcher-knife tickled the fleece of many a 

 Blackfoot. But, at the same time, if he saw that 



