ain's right, between him and Hastie, had (in the hours of
darkness) been secretly butchered, and there lay, still wrapped as to
his body in his mantle, but offering above that ungodly and horrific
spectacle of the scalped head. The gang were that morning as pale as a
company of phantoms, for the pertinacity of Indian war (or, to speak
more correctly, Indian murder) was well known to all. But they laid the
chief blame on their unsentinelled posture; and, fired with the
neighbourhood of the treasure, determined to continue where they were.
Pinkerton was buried hard by the Master; the survivors again passed the
day in exploration, and returned in a mingled humour of anxiety and
hope, being partly certain they were now close on the discovery of what
they sought, and on the other hand (with the return of darkness)
infected with the fear of Indians. Mountain was the first sentry; he
declares he neither slept nor yet sat down, but kept his watch with a
perpetual and straining vigilance, and it was even with unconcern that
(when he saw by the stars his time was up) he drew near the fire to
awaken his successor. This man (it was Hicks the shoemaker) slept on the
lee side of the circle, something farther off in consequence than those
to windward, and in a place darkened by the blowing smoke. Mountain
stooped and took him by the shoulder; his hand was at once smeared by
some adhesive wetness; and (the wind at the moment veering) the
firelight shone upon the sleeper, and showed him, like Pinkerton, dead
and scalped.

It was clear they had fallen in the hands of one of those matchless
Indian bravos, that will sometimes follow a party for days, and in spite
of indefatigable travel, and unsleeping watch, continue to keep up with
their advance, and steal a scalp at every resting-place. Upon this
discovery, the treasure-seekers, already reduced to a poor half-dozen,
fell into mere dismay, seized a few necessaries, and, deserting the
remainder of their goods, fled outright into the forest. Their fire they
left still burning, and their dead comrade unburied. All day they ceased
not to flee, eating by the way, from hand to mouth; and since they
feared to sleep, continued to advance at random even in the hours of
darkness. But the limit of man's endurance is soon reached; when they
rested at last it was to sleep profoundly; and when they woke, it was to
find that the enemy was still upon their heels, and death and mutilation
had once more l