152 Life of a Fossil Hunter 



attire of paint and breech-cloths, with the in- 

 evitable Winchester, stepped forward to inform 

 us that " white man was lost in the woods," 

 and that they would show him the trail for two 

 dollars. 



" Where is that miserable papoose? " I demanded, 

 but they only grinned and repeated, " We will show 

 you the road for two dollars." 



It was my habit, in a crisis of this kind, to smoke, 

 for I regret to say that I was for many years a lover 

 of the soothing weed ; so, drawing out of my saddle- 

 bag a pound of fragrant " Lone Jack," I proceeded 

 to fill my pipe and decide upon my further course. 

 Instantly the Indians crowded around me, and drop- 

 ping the butts of their guns to the ground, pulled out 

 their tobacco pouches, and opening them wide, held 

 them up to be filled, crying in chorus, " Me tobac! 

 Me tobac!" 



But the memory of the deceitful boy was still 

 rankling in my mind. I told George to follow me 

 with the pack horse, and deliberately lighting my 

 pipe and filling my lungs with smoke to their utmost 

 capacity, I blew a cloud of it into the faces of the 

 expectant beggars. Then I drove my spurs into my 

 pony's flanks and started off in a mad race against 

 time, as the long shadows warned me only too 

 plainly that the daylight, our only guide now, would 

 soon leave us. I did not look back, but George, who 



