alcolm
scrambled up above to get a shot at him. But he had been too quick for
them, for just as they reached the top, they heard the branches of the
trees crackling in a tuft of underwood opposite, which lay between us
and a deep water-course we had just crossed. As a fatiguing journey was
before them, they did not think it worth while to give chase to the
brute, and were on the point of descending again into the little hollow
where they had left us, when the print of a man's foot caught Bradley's
eye in the soft sandy earth. Several others were noticed close by, none
of which, Bradley protested, had been made by our party, and certainly
not by a bear, but by some sculking Indians, who had been very likely
hovering about us. They hastened to communicate this intelligence to
us, and it was decided that as the party bound for the coast were now
within some few hours' ride of the upper settlements on the Sacramento,
no Indians would be daring enough to attack them, and it would hardly
be worth while for us to accompany them further. We, however, insisted
upon riding a few miles more on the road, which having done, we took
leave of them with many wishes for their safe and speedy return, and
turned our horses' heads round in the direction of the camp.

Feeling rather fidgetty at the incident of the morning, we passed the
spot where it had taken place, keeping an anxious look-out in every
direction, and after a hard ride of several hours, reached the camp
shortly after sundown, glad that we had escaped any disaster. We had a
merry evening of it; a double allowance of whisky was served out, and
we drank our friends' safe arrival and return.

* * * * *

I now sit down for the first time, after a lapse of several weeks, to
resume the continuation of my narrative. Late in the evening of the
5th, while my companions were chatting over the fire, and I was engaged
in writing, we were interrupted on a sudden by a loud whistle, the note
of which I thought I could not be mistaken in. "Sure that's Bradley,"
exclaimed I; the others thought not, and, catching up their rifles,
examined the flints. The whistle, when again repeated, convinced every
one, however, that my first surmise had been correct. In another minute
Bradley galloped up to us, and Don Luis soon followed after; but, to
our astonishment, Malcolm was not of the party. "My friends," exclaimed
Bradley, "a sad disaster; the best part of the gold