KILLED BY THE INDIANS 



him in at the gate, for the good Book do tell us 

 that he never was known to go back on such a 

 prayer as that. Well, he must have hurted some 

 of them Injuns in the row. It would be a satis- 

 faction to find some sign that he got away with 

 some of 'em; so let's mount an' take a circuit 

 'round over the prairie for two or three hundred 

 yards out an' see if we can find anything." 



We did so and were rewarded by finding the 

 bones of two small horses, probably Indian ponies 

 that the man had shot in defending his position. 



"That's some satisfaction," said Jack as we re- 

 turned, "for it's more'n likely that he killed some 

 of the Injuns, too. Well, what'll we do with these 

 things?" pointing to the skull, jaw-bone, and buf- 

 falo shoulder-blade. 



"I was thinking of taking them back to camp 

 with us," I rephed, "to see what Tom will say." 

 "Just what I was thinkin'," said Jack, dis- 

 mounting and preparing to tie the skull and jaw- 

 bone to his saddle. "I'll carry these an' you can 

 carry the shoulder-blade. You'd better carry it 

 in your hand, an' be careful of it so's not to rub 

 out the writin' any more, for it's hard enough to 

 make out as it is." 



Of course Tom was interested in the memorials 

 we brought and asked us many questions about 

 the signs we had found. 



After giving him time to study the problem out, 

 I asked: 



155 



