huntee's signs. 57 



' You see tliem thar birds, stranger,' said the 

 hunter, * I'll stake high there's buffalo not far off.' 



' Yes, but how about the wind, Harris ? ' asked the 

 Colonel. 



^ Of course that thar cloud means wind ; but, I 

 reckon it wont come till nigh night time, and then it'll 

 blow hard from the norrard. Still, I reckon, it'll be 

 better to fall back and get below the swell, and so ride 

 round 'em to the westward. WTien we makes a rush at 

 'em, a good many of the brutes '11 bolt towards the Fort, 

 and we'll play at that lot if you've no objection, 

 Colonel, because it'll be all the handier for getting in 

 the meat.' 



During the few moments employed in delivering this 

 oracular speech, we had reached the summit of a 

 swell, or undulation, of the great plain, from which we 

 could discern, at a long distance, the dark forms of the 

 masses of buffalo. We had been riding nearly south 

 from the Fort, and a smart breeze was blowing from the 

 south-east. I imagined that it was just possible we 

 might approach the herd undiscovered, by riding 

 straight on till we were within fair distance for 

 charging. 



The hunter, however, did not feel inclined to leave 

 anything to chance ; remarking, that it was quite 

 possible (though it did not appear very probable) that 

 the mnd might shift round more to the south, in 

 which case the buffaloes would smell our approach, and 



