ose Obed had worn. In my search my hand struck against something; I
took it up, it was an old silver watch; such a one Obed had not got, but
often had I seen it in the hands of his brother Joab.

Poor Joab, then, had been killed on the first attack of the red-skins.
What had become of the rest of the party? I dreaded lest I should find
their remains as I had that of Joab. Taking the watch, I secured it
about me to restore to his family should I ever meet them. I hunted
about for his rifle; it was nowhere to be found. It had been carried
off, I concluded, by the Indians. With a heavy heart I ran on, after my
brief rest, expecting every instant to come on more of the remains of my
old friends, but I saw no indications of them, and there was no time to
carry on the search.

I went on after this for some time without halting even for a moment. I
had now been several hours on foot. Had I enjoyed my usual strength,
such as I possessed before being wounded, I should have made light of
the fatigue. I was, however, again obliged to sit down. I reckoned on
having a long start of the red-skins. I hoped to retain my strength so
as to redouble my speed when I thought they would be pressing after me.
I had deprived them of their arms, and they had no food; so that, could
I contrive to keep beyond their reach for two or three days, they must
be delayed to obtain it, if they attempted to follow me. Unless also
their lodges were in the neighbourhood, and they could go and get arms,
I possessed another very great advantage over them. Of course if
pursued I would not hesitate for a moment about shooting them down.
These ideas occurred to me as I ran on, and I began to feel that my case
was not so hopeless as I at first considered it. My great dread was of
the wolves. As yet I had not heard any of those cries which make night
hideous in the desert regions; but I knew that if a pack once scented me
out and gave chase, I should have little chance of escaping them, unless
I could find a tree, up which I might climb out of their way.

I ran on all night, keeping nearly due west, and daylight found me
pursuing my way with unflagging speed. At last I struck what I took to
be a branch of the Nebraska river. A wood was not far-off on the other
side. "I'll try if a white man cannot manage to deceive the acuteness
even of a red-skin," I thought to myself. The wind had blown the snow
completely off the ice on the river. I crossed