ough bodies of Indians were seen manoeuvring in
the distance, none approached the mountain, whose flag waved out
defiance; and as night after night passed without alarm, there were some
of the party sanguine enough to say that the Indians had had their
lesson and would come no more.

"What do you say to that, Beaver?" said Joses, laying his hand upon the
chiefs shoulder, and looking him in the face.

"Indian dog of Apache never forgives," he replied quietly. "They may
come to-day--to-morrow--next moon. Who can tell when the Apache will
come and strike? But he will come."

"There, Master Bart, hear that!" said Joses. "How about going down into
the canyon to spear salmon now?"

"The young chief, Bart, can go and spear salmon in the river," said the
Beaver, whose face lit up at the prospect of engaging in something more
exciting than watching cattle and taking care that they did not stray
too far. "The Beaver and his young men will take care the Apaches do
not come without warning."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

SPEARING SALMON UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

The undertaking of the chief was considered sufficient, and as a change
of food would be very acceptable to the little mining colony, the Doctor
made no difficulty about the matter, so the Beaver sent out scouts into
the plain to give the earliest notice of the appearance of danger, and
to supplement this, the Doctor posted Harry, their English follower, in
the best position on the mountain, with the powerful glass, so that he
might well sweep the plain, and give an earlier notice of the enemy's
coming than even the Indians could supply.

The Beaver looked very hard at the telescope, and said that it was very
great medicine, evidently feeling for it a high degree of respect. Then
certain other arrangements having been made, including the choice of
half-a-dozen of the Mexican greasers to carry the salmon that Bart said
laughingly they had not yet caught, the fishing party, which included
Bart, Joses, the Beaver, the interpreter, and six more Indians, all
started for the patch of forest.

They were all well-armed, and, in addition to their weapons, the Indians
had contrived some ingeniously formed three-pronged spears, keen as
lancets, and well barbed, ready for use in the war against the fish.

The deep rift leading down to the canyon was soon found, and this time
Bart approached cautiously, lest there should be another of the
rattle-tailed snakes lurking in a crevi