e dog happened to be
there. Yamanatz, unconcerned, replied, "Me dunno." This puzzled Jack,
but he went about his cooking, carefully watching the trees and rocks.
He felt for the first time a species of alarm. Again he inquired, "Ute
dog, mebbe so?"

"Me dunno."

Jack knew no white man would go along that trail at that time of year
without stopping to say "How!" In fact, there was no white man within
forty miles, except old Joe Riggs, and old Joe would be there with the
dog if the dog was Joe's. The suspense had a sudden termination as the
muzzle of a rifle "mirrored" in the sunlight, just the tip of the muzzle
being thus accidentally disclosed. Quick as a flash Jack pulled his six
shooter, cocked it and held it level at the tree where the bright steel
was in full view. Yamanatz made neither sign nor comment, but Jack felt
that the cunning old chief was fully aware of all that was going on.
Very soon the edge of a woolen turban cap appeared opposite the rifle
muzzle, then an ear, then a little of the chin and finally the eye of
Bennett looked straight into Jack's six shooter. With a bound the joker
jumped from behind the tree and, with a laugh which could have been
heard a mile, and in which Yamanatz joined, came forward, palms outward,
signifying peace, exclaiming, "White man no 'fraid; heap big joke, heap
big joke."

But Jack began to feel that these jokes might end in something serious,
especially if he showed the white feather in the least.

The next day he returned from the traps just as the last streaks of
sunlight were tipping the tops of the canon where Rock Creek dashed by
the cabin. Yamanatz sat by the cold camp fire in the same place and same
position in which Jack had left him after breakfast, six hours before.
Of course, Jack was surprised at this and wondered what it meant. As
Jack swung into the open space Yamanatz immediately arose with hands
outstretched, the palms well up towards the comer, accompanying the
action with this eager outburst:

"Yamanatz heap glad to see white man Jack; Colorow come. White man gone.
Colorow heap mad, want to see white man. Me tell 'em white man gone,
Colorow follow white man; byme by Antelope come look for Colorow;
Antelope go back Indian village by Pony Creek. Antelope tell Utes
Colorow mean mischief; Colorow's boy come byme by look for Colorow; when
Yamanatz tell Colorow's boy 'Colorow follow white man,' Colorow's boy
heap 'fraid, say: 'Mebbe so Colorow meet 'em whi