charge upon their
camp. The rascals succeeded in running off all of their loose animals.

Four of the men immediately saddled the fleetest of the remaining
horses and instantly gave chase. After a quick run they came up with
the savages and immediately gave them battle. A sharp skirmish ensued
in which one of the warriors was killed, when the remainder fled,
leaving the property once more in the hands of its rightful owners.
The men however did not come off entirely safe. One of them received
a very severe wound; which, eventually, gave him considerable
difficulty; but from the effects of which he finally recovered.

Kit and his companions in the mean time, in order to reach their
destination, found it necessary, unless they should take a long and
circuitous route, to cross one of those lofty peaks for which the
Rocky Mountains are so famous. The ascent was however commenced and
successfully accomplished; but, not without labor and an occasional
resting-place being sought for breathing their animals. In due time,
they reached the desired stream; but, the beaver signs did not appear.
Finding their errand had proved entirely useless, they started to
return into camp. Experience had taught them that the longest way
round was, in this case, the quickest way home. Taking therefore a
circuitous route, they avoided recrossing the lofty mountain peak
already alluded to. As they were riding carelessly homeward, beguiling
the time with anecdote and remark upon their future prospects, the
scenery around them, with an occasional sight at some kind of game,
what should appear ahead of them but four Indian warriors, remarkably
well mounted, painted and decked with feathers, showing, conclusively,
that they were out upon the war-path. As soon as Kit and his
companions saw the warriors, and without one word as to their proper
and best action being interchanged, they simultaneously put spurs to
their horses and dashed at the Indians in order quickly to bring
them within range of their rifles. The pace became a hot one; but, as
suddenly as the charge had been commenced, so suddenly the trappers
found that they had, this time "caught a Tartar;" for, as they dashed
on, sixty warriors, fully armed and splendidly mounted, came into view
from beneath a hill where they were awaiting in ambush.

There was but one course for the trappers to take and that was to run
the gauntlet, which they did in gallant style, although twenty yards
would hav