LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 21 



go to camp, (for they was jest a-carapin' when we went ahead) 

 and carryin' the goat too. Thar' was a hurroo when we rode in 

 with the scalps at the end of our guns. ' Injuns ! Injuns !' was 

 the cry from the greenhorns ; ' we'll he 'tacked to-night, that's 

 certain.' 



" ' 'Tacked be — ' says old Bill ; ' aint we men too, and white 

 at that ? Look to your guns, hoys ; send out a strong hos'-guard 

 with the animals, and keep your eyes skinned.' 



" Well, as soon as the animals were unhitched from the wagons, 

 the guvner sends out a strong guard, seven boys, and old hands at 

 that. It was pretty nigh upon sundown, and Bill had just sung 

 out to ' corral.' The boys were drivin' in the animals, and we 

 were all standin' round to get 'em in slick, when, ' howgh-owgh- 

 owgh-owgh,' we hears right behind the bluff, and 'bout a minute 

 and a perfect crowd of Injuns gallops down upon the animals. 

 Wagh I war'nt thar hoopin' I We jump for the guns, but before 

 we get to the fires, the Injuns were among the cavayard. I saw 

 Ned Collyer and his brother, who were m the hos'-guard, let drive 

 at 'em ; but twenty Pawnees were round 'em before the smoke 

 cleared from their rifles, and when the crowd broke the two boys 

 were on the ground, and their hair gone. Well, that ar English- 

 man just saved the cavayard. He had his horse, a regular buffalo- 

 runner, picketed round the fire quite handy, and as soon as he sees 

 the fix, he jumps upon her and rides right into the thick of the 

 mules, and passes through 'em, firing his two-shoot gun at the 

 Injuns, and, by Gor, he made two come. The mules, which was 

 a snortin' with funk and running before the Injuns, as soon as they 

 see the Englishman's mare (mules 'ill go to h — after a horse, you 

 all know), followed her right into the corral, and thar they was 

 safe. Fifty Pawnees come screechin' after 'em, but we was ready 

 that time, and the way we throw'd 'em was something handsome, 

 I tell you. But three of the hos'-guard got skeared — leastwise 

 their mules did, and carried 'em off into the peraira, and the 



