de o' the
mountains, and the Redskin is excited a bit at meetin' with a man who
knows his nation and his name. I've heard of him before. He was
thought a brave warrior by his tribe, but it is so long since he
disappeared from the face o' the 'arth that they've given him up for
dead. His wife was alive last fall. I saw her myself, and she has
steadily refused to marry any of the young braves--at least she had
refused so to do up to the time I left; but there's no calc'latin' what
these Redskins will do. However, I've comforted this one wi' the news."

"With your leave, Mister Trapper," said Larry, breaking in impatiently
at this point, "may I suggest that when you're quite done talkin' we
should continue our sarch for grub an' wather, for at present our
stummicks is empty an' our mouths is dry!"

"Have you no food?" asked the trapper.

"None," answered Will; "we finished our last scrap of meat yesterday
morning, and have been hoping and expecting to fall in with buffalo ever
since, for the signs around show that they cannot be far distant."

"You are right; I am even now followin' their trail, for, like
yourselves, I'm well-nigh starvin'. Not had a bite for three days."

"Ye don't look like it!" said Larry, gazing at the man in some surprise.

"Perhaps not, nevertheless it's a fact, so we'll push on an' try to find
'em before sundown."

Saying this, the stalwart trapper gave the rein to his stead and
galloped away over the plains, followed as close as possible by the
wearied travellers.

The pace was hard on the horses, but there was need for haste, because
the sun was close on the horizon, and as far as the eye could reach no
buffalo were to be seen. Ere long the character of the prairie changed,
the arid ground gave place to more fertile land, here and there clumps
of willows and even a few small trees appeared, while, in the far
distance, a line of low bushes ran across the country.

"Water dere," said Bunco.

"The Redskin's right," observed the trapper, slackening his speed a
little; "'tis his natur' to know the signs o' the wilderness. Does his
hawk-eye see nothing more?"

"Bufflo!" exclaimed Bunco, as he drew up and gazed intently at a
particular spot in the wilderness.

"Ay, lad, it is buffalo an' no mistake. I know'd I should find 'em
there," said the trapper, with a quiet chuckle, as he examined the
priming of his rifle. "Now, friends, we'll have to approach them
quietly. You'd better c