1 90 SrOK TING A D VENTURES 



the grass-clad prairie, in order to deaden the footsteps of 

 our horses. When we were within a hundred yards of it 

 we gave a tremendous war-whoop, and rode on like the Six 

 Hundred ; and in a moment more we saw a party of white 

 men, with well-bleached faces, peer from behind the cabin, and 

 these we recognized at once as our Teutonic acquaintances of 

 the previous night. When we rode up their features were 

 still blanched, and they were in a violent state of agitation. 



" Gott iiii Ilinimel," said one, " for vhat you scare us so?" 

 I nearly choked mineself mit a sandvich ;" and as he spoke 

 he was still slightly gagging with the remnants of a sandwich. 

 His question was greeted with hearty laughter, for the fear 

 displayed on the features of all looked ridiculous to us, who 

 were not in their position. " Mebbe you call dot foon/' 

 said another, " but I call it tain fool foon mit-out no joke." 

 We were soon at peace, however, and when the truce was 

 declared, we learned from them that they had killed nothing, 

 and that the cause of their hasty retreat was seeing a body 

 of Indians. On comparing notes we learned that both our 

 parties had mistaken each other for the common foe; but 

 we took excellent care not to tell them that we had run 

 away for the same reason they had. 



After a few pulls at their water-jugs ! peace was ratified, 

 and we jogged homeward together, but the way was made 

 rather jolly by many lively sallies at their fears and sports- 

 man-like qualities, all of which they took in the most 

 simple earnestness, and answered in such a quaint manner 

 that Hans Breitman, had he heard them, might have pro- 

 duced a capital work, did he take for a title their oft-repeated 

 saying, " Mebbe you tink you make lots of foon of us ; 

 but I call dot tarn fool foon." 



When I retired to bed that night I was so seriously lace- 

 rated from hugging the saddle during the bucking and 

 running that T could hardly move, and on awaking the 

 next morning I was so stiff and sore that I could not walk 

 without presenting a ridiculous gait, so I stayed in bed. 

 Notwithstanding the disagreeable condition of affairs, I 

 laughed heartily at the scenes of the hunt, and treasure to 



