REDSKIN AGAIN. 77 



ders which everywhere obstructed the channel of the 

 creek. 



Peering over the verge of the entrance, the hunters 

 saw that the waters had crept up the bank which just 

 below sloped up from the former level of the creek to 

 the face of the cliff. It was at the highest point of 

 this that Jake had placed the dead Indian, and now 

 the foam-covered stream rose about the body, and grad- 

 ually reached higher and higher. 



" I reckon he'll float out o' this gulch in half a shake 

 more," said Jake; and so, in fact, it happened. The 

 body, disturbed by the lapping of the waves, fell from 

 its position, and being caught by the stream, was 

 quickly whirled along, sometimes disappearing alto- 

 gether, sometimes visible for a moment as it was borne 

 upon the surging bosom of the torrent. Just at the 

 bend of the creek, where some large rocks broke the 

 water into foam as it bounded over them, the body 

 suddenly rose upright from the surface, with hands 

 outspread, and slowly heeled over, disappearing round 

 the corner. 



" Jehoshaphat, fellurs !" cried Jake, "did yer see 

 that ? The skunk shook his fist at us, I'm sartin. Ef 

 we're tied up in this hyur trap to-night, as seems 

 most likely, hell walk in among us. That's sure as 

 shootin'." 



The youths said nothing; not because they shared 

 the old hunter's superstition, but they were impressed 

 by the solemnity of the scene, and the weird spectacle 



