assented Garey.

"I tell 'ee, Bill," continued Rube in a new strain, "the Injuns is
mighty riled jest now. I never knowd 'em so savagerous an fighty. The
war hez gin 'em a fresh start, an thur dander's up agin us, by reezun
thet the gin'ral didn't take thur offer to help us agin the
yellur-bellies. Ef we meet wi' eyther Kimanch or Leepan on these hyur
plains, thu'll scalp us, or we'll scalp 'em--thet 'll be it. Wagh!"

"But what for could they 'a sot the parairy on fire?" inquired Garey.

"Thet ere," replied Rube,--"thet ere wur what puzzled me at fust. I
thort it mout 'a been done by accydent--preehaps by the scattering o' a
camp-fire--for Injuns is careless enuf 'bout thet. Now, howsowever,
I've got a different idee. Thet story thet Dutch an Frenchy hev fetched
from the rancherie, gies me a insight inter the hull bizness."

I knew the "story" to which Rube had reference. Lige and Le Blanc, when
at the village, had heard some rumour of an Indian foray that had just
been made against one of the Mexican towns, not far from the rancheria.
It had occurred on the same day that we marched out. The Indians--
supposed to be Lipans or Comanches--had sacked the place, and carried
off both plunder and captives. A party of them had passed near the
rancheria after we ourselves had left it. This party had "called" at
the hacienda de Vargas and completed the pillage, left unfinished by the
guerilla. This was the substance of what the messengers had heard.

"You mean about the Injuns?" said Garey, half interrogatively.

"In coorse," rejoined Rube. "Belike enuf, 'em Injuns ur the same
niggurs we gin sich a rib-roastin' to by the moun. Wagh! they hain't
gone back to thur mountains, as 'twur b'lieved: they dassent 'a gone
back in sich disgrace, 'ithout takin' eyther har or hosses. The squaws
ud 'a hooted 'em out o' thur wigwams."

"Sure enough."

"Sure, sartint. Wal, Billee, 'ee see now what I mean: thet party's been
a skulketin' 'bout hyur ever since, till they got a fust-rate chance at
the Mexikin town, an thur they've _struck a blow_."

"It's mighty like as you say, Rube; but why have they sot fire to the
parairy?"

"Wagh! Bill, kin ye not see why? it ur plain as Pike's Peak on a
summery day."

"I don't see," responded Garey, in a thoughtful tone.

"Well, this child _do_; an this ur the reezun: as I tell 'ee, the Injuns
hain't forgot the lambaystin they hed by the moun; an preehaps bein' now
a weak part