. Some sinews were cut
through, I suspected, which prevented him from moving his arms, but no
bones were broken; and, in consequence of his fine constitution and
temperate habits, I trusted that he would recover the use of them. I
was in a worse condition, for both my legs were so much hurt that I
could not hope to walk on them for many weeks to come. However, my
upper limbs were in good case; and we agreed that, with a pair of strong
arms and stout legs between us, we might both get on very well. Obed
had left his gun in the thicket into which he had dragged it when he
fell. It was discharged, and so he went for it, bringing it to me in
his teeth, that I might clean and reload it. As he could not use it, he
left it by my side; and we had now our two rifles, and his and my
revolver pistols; so that I felt, with my back to a tree, cripple as I
was, I might prove a formidable adversary either to man or beast. While
Obed and I sat near the fire, talking over our prospects, we remembered
that a number of things had dropped from the wagons; so he volunteered
to set out in order to discover whether they had been carried off by the
Indians.

"Farewell, Dick," said he, as he rose to go. "If I don't come back
you'll know those varmint redskins have got my scalp; but though I can't
use my arms, they'll find I can use my legs before they catch me."

With many misgivings I saw him make his way out from the thicket. When
he was gone I lay back with my head on my arm, thinking over many of the
events of my past life, and contrasting them with my present condition,
till at length my eyes closed, and I forgot all recent events in sleep.
I believe that I slept very soundly without stirring my legs or arms.
At last my eyes slowly opened, and horrible indeed was the spectacle
which met them. The embers of the fire were before me, and close to it,
as if to enjoy its warmth, lay coiled up a huge rattlesnake not two
yards from me. In an instant of time I felt that its deadly fangs might
be fixed in my throat. What use to me now were my fire-arms? I dared
not move my hand to reach my revolver. I knew that I must not wink even
an eyelid, or the deadly spring might be made. The snake was, I dare
say, nearly six feet long. It had a body almost as thick as my leg--of
a yellowish-brown colour, with some dark-brown spots reaching from one
end to the other; and oh, that head, as it slowly raised it with its
vicious eyes to have a lo