sever its head from its body,
with one stroke, leaving the head hanging to the leg of his pants. I
hurried towards him, but the boy was not in the least disconcerted or
frightened, although he could not tell if he had been bitten or not. An
examination showed that the fangs of the snake had passed through the
cloth and left their imprint upon the leather of his boot-leg, without
penetrating it.

[Illustration: Snake Incident.]

We all congratulated him upon his narrow escape, and Lieutenant Jackson
told him that few men would have shown more nerve or presence of mind
under the circumstances than he had done. Tom Pope asserted the boy was a
"born Injin hunter," and old Jerry declared that he was "willing to make
a 'ception, so fur as Ned was concarned, though he'd be darned if he'd do
it for t'other one; for boys like him hadn't no bizness on the plains, no
how."

Once more mounting our horses, we emerged from the cool and grateful
shade, out into the burning sunshine of the plain, when, making sure of
the trail, our guides started at a brisk canter towards the north-east,
followed by the entire party.

The trail was so plain and well-defined, that we were able to ride at a
good round pace, which was kept up until long after the sun had set and
darkness had fairly encompassed us. Finally we came to good grass, and
the lieutenant ordered a halt.

Shortly after unsaddling our horses, Tom came to me, and said, "Be you
pretty sure, judge, that them fellers was Comanches, that attacked you?"

I replied at once that I was.

"What makes you think so?" inquired Tom.

Up to this time I had not entertained a thought that they could be other
than Comanches. Now that my reasons for the opinion had been asked, I saw
that the only cause for it was the fact, that the attack had been made in
the Comanche country, and so far towards the interior, that the
possibility of their belonging to any other tribe had not entered my
mind.

I replied, that I had no other reason for supposing them to be Comanches
than the one above given.

"Well," said Tom, "as me and Jerry was ridin' along this arternoon, I
found this 'ere thing along side ther trail, so I picked it up ter show
yer."

As he spoke, he produced an old, well-worn moccasin, which, at a glance,
I recognized as having been made by the Apaches, its shape being entirely
different from those manufactured or worn by any other tribe.

For an instant I was speechless, utterly