The half breed was still grinning. 



The No-seeums apparently looked on him as a hardened 

 character, because they didn't seem to bother about him at 

 all. Suddenly Pudge shouted: 



"Bring the gun! Quick!" 



"What is it?" we asked breathlessly. 



"I just saw mine! I hit at 'im but missed, and he's dancin' 

 away there just out o' my reach." 



A respite from the bandits came a little while later and we 

 got to the river to fish. The trout were literally eating the 

 flies alive, too, that morning. Yet, for every strike we got 

 from a trout, we received two kicks or bites or stings from 

 the No-seeums, and I never spent a more miserable, perspir- 

 ing forenoon in all my life. Along about sundown that even- 

 ing, the No-seeums withdrew for rest. Unquestionably, they 

 had put in a hard day. Then Pudge and I surveyed each other. 

 His face looked as though it had been painted, then put up by 

 the fire to dry, as it was all puffed out in spots. He said I 

 looked like a punctured pneumatic tire. 



But there we were, up against it. I have never taken a 

 vacation in a nest of hornets, but if anyone gives me the 

 choice of them or the No-seeums, the hornets for mine! There 

 is this advantage, that no self-respecting hornet will come and 

 insert his stinger in your cuticle, causing that "cutaneous irri- 

 tation" the bug-men tell about, without letting himself be seen. 

 He isn't that kind of a bee. We were wondering what we 

 should do to relieve the situation, when Jim said: 



"Me make ile 'morrow mornin' dat keep away No-seeums. 

 Yo' go sleep an' no worry." 



Honest, we wanted to fall on his neck. Any man who could 

 make an "ile" that would keep those marauders off of us, was 

 entitled to first prize, or else the gold watch or sack of flour. 

 The pleasure of having some annointment on us that was too 

 much for the No-seeums would be worth any kind of money. 

 We slept that night with all the confidence in the world in 

 wonderful Jim our guide. 



Early next morning, before time for the bugs to be moving, 

 I got out and walked up the river about a mile. I wanted to 

 feel the dew on the grass and I wanted the air to cool my 



8 



