THE PANTHER'S CUB. 53 



mean cusses, and had served me many a dirty trick. Their camp 

 was just in the edge of the timber, and the squaws were cooking 

 supper in a pot, while about a dozen men sat around in a ring, 

 lookin' on and suckin' their thumbs, wrapped up in their blankets, 

 just as if it was cold. As I cum up, I looked back on my track, 

 and whar the sandy bank lay agin the water, whar it war bright- 

 ened up by the sunset, I see the she-painter cumin' like greased 

 lightnin'. 



" I walked composed-like and slow into the Injin camp, and 

 right through the ring, puttin' the painter cub, all rolled up in the 

 coat, down in the middle, and then goin' to the fur side, set down 

 as far off as convenient. 



" ' Injin Mike is welcome,' said a young man, who I made out 

 by his paint to be Tiger Tail's son, wavin' his hand like to me, 

 and keepin' his eye inquirin' like on my coat, that was a wrigglin' 

 about on the ground. 



" ' Injin Mike is a hunter, and he brings a hunter's gift,' sez I, 

 slow-like, and speakin' Injin ; ' he was afeerd his Injin brother 

 would be in want of some game.' 



" I knew this would rile 'em some, for Tiger Tail was allers a 

 big hunter, and he didn't like me, for I could take the feather out 

 of his hair any day. I war goin' on to say more, but I didn't have 

 time, fur jist then I heard a thump in the bushes, and the she- 

 painter cum in as ef she was flyin' ; ears back, eyes like candles — 

 she was some. She tuck the young chief before she landed with 

 a sort o' flyin' box with her paw, and he never riz hair arterwards, 

 for she tuck scalp and all. 



" The lousy devils rolled over like prairie dogs — the pot upsot, 

 the coals flew around, the squaws yelled, the dogs pitched in, and 

 afore any one could get out his knife, that painter did some tall 

 tearin'. They rolled over and over, yellin', bitin', swearin' ; some 

 got hit fur the painter, fur they couldn't see whar to strike, and 

 thar was no room for shootin'. Lord, Colonel, it would hur done 

 you good to have seen that air scrimmage. I got behind a tree 

 and larfed 'till it hurt, and when I see they had well-nigh fit out 

 Yowler and me, thinkin' they might blame us, stepped out and I 

 hain't seen them Injins, nur that air painter since, though I 've 



