146 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



possible, to try and save his family from the tomahawk of the 

 red foes. He was very much afraid that they might have 

 been there before him, and this made him almost wild with 

 excitement and feelings of revenge ; but on rounding a long, 

 sharp spur of the hill, which gave us a good view of the vale 

 in which his cottage was situated, he was delighted to see 

 everything in its usual tranquil condition. Cheered by this 

 welcome sight, we hastened onward as rapidly as possible, and 

 in the course of half an hour reached the house. Leaping off 

 the half-dead horses the moment we reached the door, he 

 rushed in, still doubtful of the fate of his family, but on 

 finding 1 his wife attending to her business as usual, and the 

 young children playing on the floor, he became as stoical as 

 an Indian brave, and after kissing them all in the ordinary 

 way, he asked his wife if she had seen any Indians about 

 during his absence. She replied that she had not, except Joe, 

 the half-breed, and he was hastening as fast as his horse 

 could carry him to the mining hamlet ten miles away. In 

 response to her query why he had asked such a question, he 

 said that it was mere idle curiosity, as he had seen a party of 

 them on his way back, and he did not know but they might 

 be out on a horse-stealing expedition and pay his ranch a visit. 

 Having lulled her suspicion by his coolness, he went to the 

 stable and hitched two bell mares and six stout mules to his 

 waggon, and in this he placed a quantity of bed clothing and 

 some wearing apparel. When this was done he told his wife 

 that he was somewhat afraid that the red demons might visit 

 the valley during the night or the following day, and he 

 thought it best to take the family to a place of safety for fear 

 of any accident occurring to them. 



The wife, suspecting that something was amiss, did not utter 

 a word; and at his request she wrapped the younger children as 

 warmly as possible, and placing them with the elder and a quan- 

 tity of meat, bread, and flour in the waggon, she took her seat 

 beside the eldest boy and drove the team herself, while we, armed 

 to the teeth, rode on ahead on fresh horses to reconnoitre the 

 route and look for Indian signs. After travelling 1 about two 



o o 



miles in the direction of the mining village we came upon the 



