animals
as well as of men, an art indeed in which Pierre and Sam were equal to
the Indians themselves. As we had camped pretty early, we started in
different directions, hoping to bring in a good supply of meat, of which
our consumption was considerable, Long Sam declaring when really hungry,
that he could eat half a buffalo at a sitting--I wonder he didn't say a
whole one. We had espied some big-horns on the rocky heights in the
distance, and were making our way towards them, when Sam exclaimed--

"A white man has passed this way, though those are the marks of
moccasins, but no Indian treads in that fashion."

I agreed with him, and soon afterwards we came upon a pool out of which
a stream ran to the eastward. Sam was not long before he ferreted out
several beaver-traps, and, examining one of them, pronounced it of the
best make, and belonging to a white trapper. Of course we allowed it to
remain unchanged. We thought of old Folkard, but scarcely expected to
fall in with him again. We were making our way through a wood, along a
ridge with a valley below us, when, looking through a gap in the trees,
I caught sight of two persons, the one seated, supporting the head of
another, who was stretched on the ground on his knees. Though I was too
far off to distinguish their features, I saw by the dress of one that he
was a trapper, but could not make out the other. On coming nearer,
however, I recognised old Folkard; but who was the other? His cheeks
were hollow, his countenance haggard, and, though sunburnt, showed none
of the hue of health. A second glance, however, convinced me that he
was Charley Fielding. The old hunter was engaged in giving him some
food, treating him as he would a helpless child. They both recognised
me, and Charley's eye brightened as he stretched out his hand to welcome
me while I knelt by his side.

"Where have you been? How did you come here?" I asked eagerly.

"Don't trouble him with questions," said the old trapper; "he'll answer
you better when he's had some broth. I found him not long since pretty
well at his last gasp. I guess he has got away from some Redskins. I
always said he was carried off by them. If I am right they are not
likely to be far away. We must be on the look-out not to be caught by
them."

Charley, though unable to speak, showed by the expression of his
countenance that the old trapper had truly conjectured what had
happened.

We naturally, forgetting