BOEDER LIFE IN THE WEST. 227 



" Oh, nothing," said I, " except that you had better walk 

 out of that door, the whole of you, and if you want some- 

 thing to do, you may bring me some wood, for our fire is 

 all, or nearly exhausted !" 



The fellows had been completely cowed by the unexpected 

 demonstration of my sleepy friend. They pretended to con- 

 sider this command as a mere joke, and all started towards 

 the door with so much alacrity, that my constitutional cau- 

 tion was aroused, and I suddenly remembered that during 

 the jargon of talk that had occurred between us, under the 

 pretence of mutual exhilaration, I had gathered the fact that 

 they had a small boat tied to the river bank near the wood- 

 yard and that in this boat I had announced that I intended 

 so soon as the storm that still raged had subsided, to embark 

 with my friend and undertake the passage of the river, for I 

 wished as soon as possible to place it between us and this 

 inhospitable shore. It flashed across me now, from their 

 over-ready manner, that they meant to get possession of this 

 boat, and shut off all prospect of our early escape, with the 

 purpose of gaining time to bring together a stronger party, 

 who might with fire-arms cope with the unexpected advan- 

 tages of which we had placed ourselves in possession. These 

 woods had suddenly become astonishingly populous already, 

 and there was no telling what might come forth from their 

 dark shadows ! 



I at once determined that they should not go out alone 

 that I would watch with my own eyes every movement. 



" Hilloa, boys ! I will go with you." 



"Oh! will you?" chuckled the black-browed fellow 

 " come ahead who's afraid of the dark!" 



' Well, I, for one, in some company ; so you will please 

 march ahead of me/" 



"By no means, nor nothing gentlemen's goes ahead !" 



" Beg your pardon ; I am a man, for the present so you 

 will please walk in front of me, and I will go down to the 

 river bank with you for wood." 



