g there?" asked Ned.

"Why, they was a scoutin' party out from the post, about twenty miles
below where we was. They chased the Injuns, but the devils scattered and
'twarn't no use.

"I went in to the fort with 'em, and stayed thar about a week, and then
went down to San Antonio with Major Neighbors, the Injun agent.
Afterwards, I heard that the soldiers went up and cleaned the village
out, but I don't know nothin' about that.

"There, youngsters, you've hed your story, and I reckon if you're goin'
with me to-morrow, you'd better go ter bed and git some sleep, and I'll
go back to the fort, and git ready, myself."

Ned was delighted with Tom's story, while Patsey declared that "he'd thry
that way of cooking, steak the first blissid thing he did in the
mornin',--that he would, sure."

With the first faint streak of light in the eastern sky, our little party
were on their way to the fort. We found that Lieutenant Howland had
detailed a squad of twenty of the "Mounted Rifles" under command of
Lieutenant Jackson, and ordered them provisions, for ten days. They were
to start at sunrise, and Tom Pope was to lead them directly to the
_canon_, where he had seen the trail, which we were to follow, until
we overtook the thieves.

Promptly, as the morning gun, announced the sun's appearance above the
horizon, Lieutenant Jackson, with the dragoons, rode into the parade-
ground, ready for a start. The final orders were given, and we fell into
line, and rode slowly forth in the direction of the mountains, followed,
not only by the good wishes of every man in the post, but by Patsey's
brogans, which he threw after us for "good luck, inyhow," with such force
that one struck a soldier in the head, and nearly knocked him out of the
saddle, much to his surprise and anger, and greatly to the amusement of
the spectators.

We struck into a brisk canter, and were soon out of sight of the post and
settlements. Our course lay to the east of north, over an elevated, arid
plain, covered with a thick growth of prickly-pear, and scrubby mesquite.

The mesquite is a shrub that somewhat resembles our locust. Its wood is
hard and close-grained, and its branches bear a long, narrow pod, filled
with saccharine matter, which, when ripe, furnishes a very palatable
article of food, that is relished both by men and animals.

The principal value of the mesquite, however, is for its roots, which are
used for fuel and very fine fuel they make, quite e