we will
transport him to the scene of festivity in the little fortress above.

As Big Tim correctly surmised, the savages had discovered the hunter's
store of rum just after eating as much venison as they could comfortably
consume. Fire-water, as is well known, tells with tremendous effect on
the excitable nerves and minds of Indians. In a very few minutes it
produced, as in many white men, a tendency to become garrulous. While
in this stage the savages began to boast, if possible, more than usual
of their prowess in chase and war, and as their potations continued,
they were guilty of that undignified act--so rare among red men and so
common among whites--of interrupting and contradicting each other.

This condition is the sure precursor of the quarrelsome and fighting
stage of drunkenness. They had almost reached it, when Rushing River
rose to his feet for the purpose of making a speech. Usually the form
of the chief was as firm as the rock on which he stood. At this time,
however, it swayed very slightly to and fro, and in his eyes--which were
usually noted for the intensity of their eagle glance--there was just
then an owlish blink as they surveyed the circle of his braves.

Indeed Rushing River, as he stood there looking down into the upturned
faces, observed--with what feelings we know not--that these braves
sometimes exhibited a few of the same owlish blinks in their earnest
eyes.

"My b-braves," said the chief; and then, evidently forgetting what he
intended to say, he put on one of those looks of astonishing solemnity
which fire-water alone is capable of producing.

"My b-braves," he began again, looking sternly round the almost
breathless and expectant circle, "when we left our l-lodges in the
m-mountains this morning the sun was rising."

He paused, and this being an emphatic truism, was received with an
equally emphatic "Ho" of assent.

"N-now," continued the chief, with a gentle sway to the right, which he
corrected with an abrupt jerk to the left, "n-now, the sun is about to
descend, and w-we are _here_!"

Feeling that he had made a decided point, he drew himself up and
blinked, while his audience gave vent to another "Ho" in tones which
expressed the idea--"waiting for more." The comrade, however, whose
veins were fired, or chilled, with the few drops of white blood,
ventured to assert his independence by ejaculating "Hum!"

"Bounding Bull," cried the chief, suddenly shifting ground and g