who he is, afore he
comes any nearer" said Jerry, as he spurred his horse forward to meet him.

Upon reaching a small knoll a few hundred yards in advance of us, Jerry
suddenly stopped and held up his right hand, with the palm outward. Then
he slowly moved it backward and forward a few times; when, to my great
surprise, the Indian checked his horse, and sat as though awaiting
further orders. Again Jerry raised his hand; this time moving it before
and across his face three or four times.

The Indian, who appeared to comprehend these signs perfectly, answered by
making a graceful, undulating motion with his right hand, not unlike the
wriggling movement made by a snake in crawling. Then he elevated both
hands high above his head, clasped closely together; then, apparantly
satisfied with this pantomime, he started at a rapid pace toward us.
Jerry turned; and, seeing my looks of astonishment, hurriedly said,--

"That ere's the lingo of the plains. Every Injun understands that. I told
the feller to stop and explain who he was. He answered that he was a
Comanche, and friendly. Mebbe we can git some news of the boys from him,
though we shan't ef he ain't a mind to tell, for Injuns is mighty
clus-mouthed critters."

At this moment the Comanche rode up. Bringing his horse abruptly to a
stand-still, he extended a very dirty hand, ornamented with finger-nails
that closely resembled the talons of an eagle.

"Me Senaco, good Injun," he exclaimed, in pretty fair Spanish.

"Of course you be," replied Jerry, in English. "Whoever seed a bad Injun,
ef you let him tell his story?

"We've got to pretend to believe the lyin' varmint or we shan't find out
nothin' from him, that's sartin."

As this was the first opportunity I ever had of examining a live
Comanche, I regarded this specimen with some curiosity; for a friendly
Comanche in those days was indeed an anomaly.

The Indian's body was entirely naked, with the exception of a breech-cloth
and pair of leggins. The leggins extended from the knee, down; and,
with his moccasins, were made of buckskin, heavily fringed and
ornamented.

A large red blanket covered his left shoulder, fastened beneath his right
arm in such a manner as to leave the arm free and unobstructed, and then
hung loosely behind him, almost touching the ground as he sat upon his
horse. The animal was a rough looking little pony, that bore evidence of
being both tough and fleet.

The fellow's face was deeply mar