83 



Within a few minutes, I had extended the breakwind, 

 and Joe had stowed his packs within, on the side opposite 

 to that on which mine were piled. The mules were tied 

 to pickets near my own, and Fondle, my pretty pet, played 

 among them as if it recognised old acquaintances. Joe 

 then took a seat beside the fire, and as the meat was 

 simmering, we talked. 



" Well, Joe, now that you are here, and almost ready 

 for another fight, tell me how your wounds are healing, 

 and what has happened to you since I left you in the 

 Shoshonee camp." 



" Just so ; but cook the meat quickly, for I feel wolf- 

 ish," said the gallant hunter. " The Shoshonee squaws 

 were kind to me and no mistake. They attended to me 

 as if I had been their child. Big Tree, the chief, took 

 almost as good care of my mules as if they had been his 

 own ; but he had a great deal of trouble in preventing his 

 young men from stealing skins from my pack. I suppose 

 you saw the fire?" 



" Saw it ? Yes, indeed, and made a narrow escape from 

 it," I replied. 



" Well, for a time we thought the blaze was going to 

 sweep over the Yampah to our camp, and the Shoshonees 

 made all the noises that Indians can make, and you know 

 they are hot slow. But Big tree saw that the fire could 

 not reach the lodges, and, although he let the party pre- 



