luckily, before he became its
slave. He would have been more than mortal, however, had he given in at
once. Continuing, therefore, to puff with obstinate vigour, he returned
to the charge.

"Smoking is no worse than drinking, Winklemann, and you know that you're
fond of beer."

"Bon!" said Rollin, nodding approval.

"Vat then?" cried the German, who never declined a challenge of any
kind, and who was fond of wordy war; "doos my sin joostify yours? Bot
you is wrong. If smoking be not worse dan trinking, it is less
excusable, for to trink is natural. I may apuse mine power an' trink
vat is pad for me, but den I may likewise trink vat is coot for me. Vit
smoking, no; you cannot smok vat is coot; it is all pad togeder. Von
chile is porn; vell, it do trink at vonce, vidout learning. Bot did any
von ever hear of a chile vat cry for a pipe ven it was porn?"

The laugh with which this question was greeted was suddenly arrested by
the sound of a galloping steed. Every one sprang up and instinctively
seized a weapon, for the clatter of hoofs had that unmistakable
character which indicates desperate urgency. It was low and dull at
first, but became suddenly and sharply distinct as a rider rose over the
ridge to the left and bore madly down on the camp, lashing his horse
with furious persistency.

"It's young Valle," exclaimed Captain Baptiste, hastening to meet him.

Valle, who was a mere youth, had gone out with his father, Louison
Valle, and the rest of the hunters in the morning. With glaring eyes,
and scarce able to speak, he now reined in his trembling steed, and told
the terrible news that his father had been killed by Sioux Indians. A
party of half-breeds instantly mounted and dashed away over the plains,
led by the poor boy on a fresh horse. On the way he told the tale more
fully.

We have already said that when skinning the buffalo late in the evening,
or at a distance from camp, the hunters ran considerable risk from
savages, and were more or less wary in consequence. It was drawing
towards sunset when Louison Valle perceived that night would descend
before he could secure the whole of the animals he had shot, and made up
his mind to the sacrifice. While busily engaged on a buffalo, he sent
his son, on his own horse, to a neighbouring eminence, to watch and
guard against surprise. Even while the father was giving directions to
the son, a party of Sioux, armed with bows and arrows, were creeping
t