30 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



to find a passage to the water, he suddenly stopped short, and aa 

 involuntary cry escaped him. Within a few feet of the bank lay 

 the body of one of his companions, who had formed the guard at 

 the time of the Indians' attack. It was lying on the face, pierced 

 through the chest with an arrow which was buried to the very 

 feathers, and the scalp torn from the bloody skull. Beyond, but 

 all within a hundred yards, lay the three others, dead, and similarly 

 mutilated. So certain had been the aim, and so close the enemy, 

 that each had died without a struggle, and consequently had been 

 unable to alarm the camp. La Bonte, with a glance at the bank, 

 saw at once that the wily Indians had crept along the creek, the 

 noise of the storm facilitating their approach undiscovered, and 

 crawling up the bank, had watched their opportunity to shoot 

 simultaneously the four hunters on guard. 



Returning to Killbuck, he apprized him of the melancholy fate 

 of their companions, and held a council of war as to their proceed- 

 ings. The old hunter's mind was soon made up. " First," said 

 he, "I get back my old mule ; she's carried me and my traps 

 these twelve years, and I aint a goin' to lose her yet. Second, I 

 feel like taking hair, and some Rapahos has to ' go under' for this 

 night's work. Third, We have got to cache the beaver. Fourth, 

 We take the Injun trail, wharever it leads." 



No more daring mountaineer than La Bonte ever trapped a 

 beaver, and no counsel could have more exactly tallied with his 

 own inclination than the law laid down by old Killbuck. 



" Agreed," was his answer, and forthwith he set about forming 

 a cache. In this instance they had not sufficient time to construct 

 a regular one, so they contented themselves with securing their 

 packs of beaver in buffalo robes, and tying them in the forks of 

 several cotton-woods, under which the camp had been made. 

 This done, they lit a fire, and cooked some bufl^alo meat : and, 

 while smoking a pipe, carefiilly cleaned their rifles and filled their 

 horns and pouches with good store of ammunition. 



