ye're only thinkin' about the sodgers. Now, that's strange!"

"Not so strange after all, lad," answered Joe. "When a man's used to a
thing, he gits to admire an' enjoy it without speakin' much about it.
But it _is_ true, boy, that mankind gits in coorse o' time to think
little o' the blissin's he's used to."

"Oui, c'est _vrai_!" murmured Henri emphatically.

"Well, Joe Blunt, it may be so, but I'm thankful _I'm_ not used
to this sort o' thing yet," exclaimed Varley. "Let's have another
gallop--so ho! come along, Crusoe!" shouted the youth as he shook his
reins and flew over a long stretch of prairie on which at that moment
they entered.

Joe smiled as he followed his enthusiastic companion, but after a
short run he pulled up.

"Hold on, youngster," he cried; "ye must larn to do as ye're bid, lad.
It's trouble enough to be among wild Injuns and wild buffaloes, as I
hope soon to be, without havin' wild comrades to look after."

Dick laughed, and reined in his panting horse. "I'll be as obedient as
Crusoe," he said, "and no one can beat him."

"Besides," continued Joe, "the horses won't travel far if we begin by
runnin' all the wind out o' them."

"Wah!" exclaimed Henri, as the led horse became restive; "I think we
must give to him de pack-hoss for to lead, eh?"

"Not a bad notion, Henri. We'll make that the penalty of runnin' off
again; so look out, Master Dick."

"I'm down," replied Dick, with a modest air, "obedient as a baby, and
won't run off again--till--the next time. By the way, Joe, how many
days' provisions did ye bring?"

"Two. That's 'nough to carry us to the Great Prairie, which is
three weeks distant from this. Our own good rifles must make up the
difference, and keep us when we get there."

"And s'pose we neither find deer nor buffalo," suggested Dick.

"I s'pose we'll have to starve."

"Dat is cumfer'able to tink upon," remarked Henri.

"More comfortable to think o' than to undergo," said Dick; "but I
s'pose there's little chance o' that."

"Well, not much," replied Joe Blunt, patting his horse's neck, "but
d'ye see, lad, ye niver can count for sartin on anythin'. The deer and
buffalo ought to be thick in them plains at this time--and when the
buffalo _are_ thick they covers the plains till ye can hardly see the
end o' them; but, ye see, sometimes the rascally Redskins takes it
into their heads to burn the prairies, and sometimes ye find the place
that should ha' bin black wi' buffalo,