26 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



report of my piece ring out on the air, each of which my huge 

 opponent merely acknowledged by a toss of his shaggy head, 

 or by slightly changing his position. I shot on until but one 

 cartridge was left, and then I stopped, thinking my stubborn 

 game might eventually conclude to take the part of hunter 

 himself. Some stories I had once read of wounded buffaloes 

 turning upon their pursuers and goring or trampling them to 

 death, came to my mind at this time, and at last I concluded 

 that the " world was wide enough for him and me," and to 

 return to camp. Suiting the action to the thought, I started 

 off in what I supposed was the right direction, casting an 

 occasional look backward towards the buffalo. 1 had not gone 

 far, however, before I found out I was lost. I had started on a 

 buffalo trail which I thought led to the river, but instead it 

 was leading me into difficulties. I got bewildered at last, and 

 lost the direction of our camp. Here was I, a youthful seeker 

 after adventure, far away from camp, locked amid a maze of 

 sand hills, surrounded by darkness and in danger every 

 moment of being run over by the bands of buffaloes, which were 

 now on their way to water and filling the air with low bellow- 

 ing. And what if I should come on to a stray party of 

 Cheyennes, who might want to play one of their practical 

 jokes on me? My heart jumped in my throat at the thought, 

 but I started on, and with the Polar star as my guide, I en- 

 deavored to reach the north side of the range of sand hills, 

 whence I could find my way across the valley to the Platte. 

 So I walked on through the yielding sand, in ravines and 

 over ridges, sometimes following the buffalo trails, but leaving 

 them when I thought they diverged from a right line. At 

 last, to my great joy, I saw I was nearing the edge of the hills, 

 for the abrupt knolls and ridges began to subside to broad 

 undulations, which announced the level plain beyond. But 

 where was the corral? I looked through the darkness in 

 hopes to get a glimpse of our campfire, but saw nothing. It 



