132 IN THE DAYS OP AUDUBON 



seated himself, drew his butcher-knife from its greasy scab- 

 bard, examined its edge as I would do that of a razor sus- 

 pected dull, replaced it, and again taking his tomahawk 

 from his back, filled the pipe of it with tobacco, and sent 

 me expressive glances whenever our hostess chanced to have 

 her back toward us. 



" Never till that moment had my senses been awakened 

 to the danger which I now suspected to be about me. I 

 returned glance for glance to my companion, and rested 

 well assured that whatever enemies I might have he was 

 not of their number. 



" I asked the woman for my watch, wound it up, and 

 under pretense of wishing to see how the weather might 

 probably be on the morrow, took up my gun and walked 

 out of the cabin. I slipped a ball into each barrel, scraped 

 the edges of my flints, renewed the primings, and, return- 

 ing to the hut, gave a favorable account of my observa- 

 tions. I took a few bear skins, made a pallet of them, and, 

 calling my faithful dog to my side, lay down, with my gun 

 close to my body, and in a few minutes was to all appear- 

 ance fast asleep. 



" A short time had elapsed when some voices were 

 heard, and from the corner of my eyes I saw two athletic 

 youths making their entrance, bearing a dead stag on a 

 pole. They disposed of their burden, and, asking for 

 whisky, helped themselves freely to it. Observing me and 

 the wounded Indian, they asked who I was, and why that 



