f the shade thus afforded him.

"I s'pose Fred will be jealous whin he finds out what a foine ride I
have had," he added, his old sense of humor coming back; "but all he has
to do is to catch a buffalo bull and git on his back: but I don't think
he'll forgit the same right away."

Looking over the prairie, he saw the figure of his friend walking in
almost a direct line toward him, though he was so far off that he was
not distinctly visible, partly because of the dust which still lingered
in the air.

Fred's encounter with the Winnebago horsemen had taken place and ended
while Terry lay senseless on the ground, so that the latter had no
suspicion of the exciting occurrence.

Terry ought to have walked out on the plain, swung his hat and cheered
his friend; but that would have been contrary to his nature. He kept out
of sight among the trees, until Fred was quite close, when he broke into
vigorous whistling.

Fred heard the familiar sound, stopped short, looked about him and then
burst into laughter as he saw his comrade. The next moment they ran
together, shook hands and mutually congratulated each other, as you will
admit they had full warrant in doing.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE DEVIL'S PUNCH BOWL.

It was a thrilling story which Terry Clark had to tell about his ride on
the back of the buffalo, but, after all, it was not so stirring as the
experience which befell Fred Linden, and the Irish lad declared that it
surpassed his own in every respect.

"Thim Winnebagos are gittin' altogether too plintiful," said he; "whin
they come on horseback as will as on foot, there must be more than we
can take care of, though you managed the three as well as I could have
done the same mesilf. And so ye hit one of 'em whin ye touched off yer
gun, did ye?"

"There is no doubt of it, though I am sorry to say that it did not end
his career right away."

"It'll sarve him the good turn of givin' him time to think what a maan
spalpeen he is any way, and that's a good deal. And so ye say they was
mounted on horseback: what has become of thim?"

"They rode in among the trees over yonder, near where we kindled the
fire and cooked the buffalo steak."

Terry walked out to the edge of the prairie, and shading his eyes,
peered in that direction.

"I can see nuthin' of thim; they must have found out that ye hadn't any
frinds there after all the fuss ye made, and it may be they will come
back to sittle with ye."

"If I alone cou