joy.

The two could not grow weary of admiring their beautiful blanket. It was
a wonderful affair indeed, and doubtless contained within it enough
material to supply a "shoddy" contractor with the basis for a thousand
army blankets. The boys would have willingly given both their watches
for it and considered themselves greatly the gainers. They looked upon
it as their joint property.

"I do believe it is rifle-proof," said Howard. "The fine threads of
which it is composed are woven so compactly that you can hardly
distinguish them."

"I should be rather fearful of risking a rifle-shot from any one if that
were all that protected me."

"We can easily test it. Let's hung it up and shoot a bullet at it."

"No, that would be too bad. The ball might go through, and then it would
be spoiled in its looks. Now it seems really perfect----"

"I say, me boys----"

Tim's utterance was checked by the discharge of a rifle and the near
whistle of the bullet. He started up and glanced around him.

"Injuns, or me name isn't Tim O'Rooney, from Tipperary, Ireland, the gem
of the say!"

CHAPTER XIV.

A STRANGE OCCURRENCE.

On a slight eminence, about an eighth of a mile south of them, stood the
solitary Indian who had fired the alarming shot, he was in open view, as
though he had no fears of the results of his challenge, and appeared to
be surveying the white people with an air of curiosity that they should
presume to encroach upon his hunting-grounds.

"If yez manes that, there's two of us, as me brother Pat towld the judge
when he called him a good-for-nothing dog."

With which exclamation Tim O'Rooney sighted his rifle at the aborigine,
and taking a tedious, uncomfortable aim, pulled the trigger, and then
lowered his piece and stared at his target to watch the result. The
Indian stood as motionless as a statue, and finally the Irishman drew a
deep sigh.

"I wonder whether the bullet has reached him yet?"

"Reached him!" laughed Howard. "I saw it clip off a piece of rock fully
forty feet from him."

"Worrah, worrah! but I've ate so much dinner I can't howld the gun
stiddy."

"I saw it vibrate----"

"Look out! he's going to shoot again!" called Elwood, as he and Howard
dropped on their faces. "Get down, Tim, or he'll hit you. He's a better
marksman than you are."

"Who cares----Heaven! save me!"

The second discharge sent the bullet within a few inches of the
Irishman's face, and somewhat alarmed him.