oming forward.

"He! he! he! That's revenge for shooting my pups," replied Sneak.

"But how came you here?" inquired Boone.

"I was taking a hunt"--here Boone interrupted him by asking where his
gun was. "I had no gun," said Sneak; and then stooping down and
running his arm into the body of the buffalo, he produced a pronged
spear, about four feet in length; "this," he continued, "is what I
hunted with, and I was hunting after muskrats in the ponds out here,
when the fire came like blazes, and like to 'ave ketched me! I dropped
all the muskrats I had stuck, and streaked it for about an hour
towards the river. But it gained on me like lightning, and I'd 'ave
been in a purty fix if I hadn't come across this dead bull. I out with
my knife and was into him in less than no time--but split me, if I
didn't feel the heat of the fire as I pulled in my feet! I knew the
Injins was about, by the buffalo; and the tarnation wolves, too, are
always everywhere, and that accounts for my jobbing that feller's leg
when he sot down on top of me."

Glenn's laughter at the above narration was arrested by Boone, who
placed one hand on his shoulder, and with the other pointed out
towards the fire about a mile distant, before which and thrown in
relief by the flames could be distinctly discerned the flitting forms
of a band of savages! A number were mounted, and others could be seen
on foot, and all moving about in various directions round a large herd
of buffalo, which occasionally made a stand to resist the foe that
harassed them on all sides, but were soon driven forward again by the
flames. Now a mounted chief could be seen to ride boldly up within a
few paces of the dark mass of animals, and drawing his arrow to the
head, discharge it, shaft and all, into the defenceless side of his
victim. The enraged animal thus pursued either fell or rushed
furiously on its foe; but the skilful savage, by a dexterous turn or
sudden leap, seemed to avoid him with ease, and flying round, sent
forth another barbed messenger as he careered at full speed.

"As I'm afoot, I'll go ahead!" cried Sneak, starting off at a gait
that verified his words.

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Joe, leaping on his pony and whipping after
Sneak, while Boone and Glenn followed in a brisk gallop.

CHAPTER IV.

The retreat--Joe makes a mysterious discovery--Mary--A disclosure
--Supper--Sleep--A cat--Joe's flint--The watch--Mary--The bush--The
attack--Joe's musket aga