oud-rifts, he paused
suddenly, sniffing the air like a pointer dog.

"The gol-dern fools!" he muttered, striking his rifle-butt on the
ground with an expression of disgust. "They 've gone and done it now!"

"Done what?" I questioned, almost guessing his meaning as a pungent
odor assailed my nostrils. "That smells like rum!"

"'T is rum. Dern if ever I see whar the A'mighty finds so many blame
idjits ter make sojers of! Them ar' fellers in the Fort wer n't in
tight 'nough pickle, with a thousand savages howlin' 'bout 'em, so they
've went an' poured all their liquor inter the river! If I know Injun
nature, it jist means the craziest lot o' redskins, whin they find it
out, ever was on these yere plains. I bet they make thet fool garrison
pay mighty big fer this job!"

"You mean the destruction of the liquor will anger them?"

"Anger? It'll drive 'em plum crazy,--they'll be ravin' maniacs! It's
the hope o' spoils thet's held 'em back so long. They 've wanted the
Fort to be 'vacuated, so as they could plunder it,--thet's been the
song o' the chiefs to hold their young men from raisin' ha'r. But
come, sonny, thar 's nothin' gained a-stayin' here, an' dern me if I
want ter meet any Injun with thet thar smell in the air. I don't swim
no river smellin' like thet one does. We 'll hev ter go further up, I
reckon, an' cross over by the ol' agency buildin'."

We crept up the edge of the stream, keeping well in under the north
bank, and moving with the utmost caution, for the chances were strong
that this portion of the river would be closely watched by the
redskins. We met with no obstacle, however, nor were we apparently
even observed from the stockade, as we slowly passed its overhanging
shadow. I could distinguish clearly its dark outlines, even making out
a head or two moving above the palisades; but no hail of any kind rang
out across the intervening water, and we were soon beyond the upper
block-house, where a faint light yet shone. We could see the dim shape
of the two-story factory building, looking gloomy and deserted on the
south shore. Burns lay flat at the water's edge, studying the building
intently; and his extreme caution made me a bit nervous, although I
could scarcely determine why, for I had thus far marked not the
slightest sign of danger.

"I reckon we 'll hev ter risk it," he said at length, as he bound his
powder-horn upon his head with a dark cloth. "Come right 'long arter
me, and don