confidence of Mr. Robidoux. He was also an
expert with the rifle and possessed undoubted courage with great
bodily strength and activity. These qualifications made him a
troublesome customer in a skirmish.

This Indian's education on the score of property rights had not been
as well attended to as the methods of attack and defence in the chase
and on the war path. By some, not strange, personal argument, he
concluded to appropriate the six valuable horses above mentioned, in
the law wordy vocabulary of civilization, "to his own, use, benefit
and behoof, without asking the consent, good-will, approbation,
permission and personal, directions of the said owner, to wit Mr.
Robidoux."

As these horses were worth, even at that remote spot on the great
American Continent, the just and full sum of two hundred dollars each,
making a round sum total of twelve hundred dollars, Mr. Robidoux was
not content to pocket the loss; or, much less, to allow the rascal to
enjoy ill-gotten wealth on the principle that "stolen fruit is sweet."
He determined, if possible to show him that some stolen fruit is
bitter.

Knowing Kit Carson's reputation for skill and his fearless
disposition, as soon as he had discovered his loss, he came and
requested him to pursue the Indian. Kit Carson is a man who never
works without orders except when he is leader. He therefore informed
Captain Lee of Mr. Robidoux's request and asked permission to serve
his friend. This, as a matter of course, was readily granted by
Captain Lee; when, Kit instantly made his preparations for the
adventure. He was very soon on horseback, well armed and well prepared
for hard and close work.

There chanced, near by to the camp, to be an Indian village belonging
to the Utah Tribe. The whites were on friendly terms with the
inhabitants of this village, which determined Carson to seek out, from
among their warriors, one active and intelligent brave, and get him to
join in the chase. This was the more easily accomplished as Carson's
reputation for skill, courage and experience was already well known in
this tribe. He, himself, had made a large circle of acquaintance among
the braves, and many of them had become strongly attached to him. Some
of these attachments have existed for years and are still maintained;
for, a fact well known, the American Indian warrior, as a general
rule, is true and unchangeable in his friendships. With this object
in view, Carson, putting his horse