A FALL HUNT IN THE ROCKIES. 369 



ably confident that our friend would not be " around " 

 till nearer the more fashionable calling hours about 

 sundown. A smoke, too, was out of the question, so 

 that sedative was denied. It seemed a terribly long 

 wait to me, though Tom seemed to take it so easily, 

 squatting there with the ever-present chew in his 

 mouth. Sundown came at last, and yet nothing had 

 happened. Did he mean to come within this next 

 half-hour 1 



" If he don't," Tom said, " we shall get left," as 

 he would inevitably come in the night. 



A feeling of reckless disappointment was begin- 

 ning to assert itself, when, "Did you hear that? 

 something's coming," broke from my lips. 



" Take plenty of time and sock it to him when 

 you're well on," says Tom, and we wait a moment 

 longer, rifles at full cock, tight to the shoulder. 

 Then, with a surprised look about him of "Who 

 has dared to move my plate ? " our swarthy friend 

 comes into full view. In the somewhat waning light 

 he loomed up immense, but I have now no time to 

 look anywhere but where best to give him " the dead 

 medicine." He walks scornfully all round the cache, 

 then begins to dig away. He is broadside on now, 

 though quartering a little towards me. I've been 

 looking at him long enough down my sights, so here 

 goes. Bang ! he topples over at once, screaming with 

 rage and pain, but gets up again, and begins to waddle 

 off. I have jerked another cartridge into the chamber 



VOL. v. 2 A 



