have
laughed at it. This was their pastime, their profession, and I am
certain that, at that moment, their feelings were not very different
from those which would have actuated them had they been driving a bear
from his den. They were, perhaps, a trifle more intense; certainly not
more inclined towards mercy.

I reined up my horse, and awaited with painful emotions the _denouement_
of this savage drama.

"Vaya, Irlandes! What did you see?" inquired one of the Mexicans,
appealing to Barney. I saw by this that it was the Irishman who had
fired the shot.

"A rid-skin, by japers!" replied the latter.

"Warn't it yer own shadder ye sighted in the water?" cried a hunter,
jeeringly.

"Maybe it was the divil, Barney?"

"In trath, frinds, I saw a somethin' that looked mighty like him, and I
kilt it too."

"Ha! ha! Barney has killed the devil. Ha! ha!"

"Wagh!" exclaimed a trapper, spurring his horse toward the thicket; "the
fool saw nothin'. I'll chance it, anyhow."

"Stop, comrade!" cried the hunter Garey; "let's take a safer plan.
Redhead's right. Thar's Injuns in them bushes, whether he seen it or
not; that skunk warn't by himself, I reckin; try this a way!"

The young trapper dismounted, and turned his horse broadside to the
bushes. Keeping on the outside, he commenced walking the animal in a
spiral ring that gradually closed in upon the clump. In this way his
body was screened; and his head only could be seen above the pommel of
his saddle, over which he rested his rifle, cocked and ready.

Several others, observing this movement on the part of Garey,
dismounted, and followed his example.

A deep silence prevailed as they narrowed the diameters of their
circling courses.

In a short time they were close in to the motte, yet still no arrow
whizzed out. Was there no one there? So it seemed; and the men pushed
fearlessly into the thicket.

I watched all this with excited feelings. I began to hope there was no
one in the bushes. I listened to every sound; I heard the snapping of
the twigs and the muttering of the men. There was a moment's silence as
they pushed eagerly forward.

Then I heard a sudden exclamation, and a voice calling out--

"Dead red-skin! Hurrah for Barney!"

"Barney's bullet through him, by the holies!" cried another. "Hollo,
old sky-blue! Come hyar and see what ye've done!"

The rest of the hunters, along with the _ci-devant_ soldier, now rode
forward to the copse.