188 IN THE OLD WEST 



save 'ee from the darned Injuns now, do 'ee 

 hjar? " And then, continuing his work and tak- 

 ing no notice of his comrades, who stood by ban- 

 tering the eccentric old trapper, he would solilo- 

 quize — " Do 'ee hyar now ? This nigger sees 

 sign ahead — he does ! he'll be afoot afore long, 

 if he don't keep his eye skinned — he will. In- 

 juns is all about, they are: Blackfoot at that. 

 Can't come round this child — they can't, w^agh ! " 

 And at last, his pack-animals securely tied to the 

 tail of his horse, he would mount, and throwing 

 the rifle across the horn of his saddle, and with- 

 out noticing his companions, would drive the 

 jingling spurs into his horse's gaunt sides, and 

 muttering, " Can't come round this child — they 

 can't ! " would ride away ; and nothing more would 

 be seen or heard of him perhaps for months, 

 when they would not unfrequently, themselves 

 bereft of animals in the scrape he had foreseen, 

 find him located in some solitary valley, in his 

 lonely camp, with his animals securely picketed' 

 around, and his peltries safe. 



However, if he took it into his head to keep 

 company with a party, all felt perfectly secure 

 under his charge. His iron frame defied fatigue, 

 and at night, his love for himself and his own 

 animals was sufficient guarantee that the camp 

 would be well guarded. As he rode ahead, his 

 spurs jingling and thumping the sides of his old 

 horse at every step, he managed, with admirable 



