then
doubling the raw side of the hides together he rolled them closely and
placed the hides in a cool place where they were allowed to remain for
several days; when at length unrolled, the skins were still moist.

"Just right, by Gosh," he exclaimed, as he took a dull knife and
carefully removed all particles of fat or flesh which here and there
adhered to the hide. After this was done to his satisfaction we both
took hold and rubbed, and mauled and worked the skins with our hands
until the hides were as soft and as pliable as flannel. Thus was the
material for my winter clothing prepared.

It took four whole deer-skins to furnish stuff for my buckskin shirt
with the beautiful long fringes at the seams; but the whole garment was
cut, sewed and finished in a day's time. It was sewed with thread made
of sinew.

When it came to making the coat and trousers Big Pete spent a long time
in solemn thought before he was ready to begin work on these garments;
at length he looked up with a broad smile and cried:

"See here, Le-loo, I have taken a fancy to them 'ere tenderfut pants o'
your'n. Off with 'em now an' I'll jist cut out the new ones from the old
uns." In vain I pleaded with him to make my trousers like his own; he
would not listen to me, he insisted upon having my ragged but stylish
knickerbockers to use as a pattern.

CHAPTER X

Big Pete was an expert backwoods tailor, shoemaker and shirtmaker, but
these were but few of his accomplishments, not his trade; he was first,
last and aways a hunter and scout. No matter what occupation seemed to
engage his attention for the time it never interfered with his ability
to hear, see or smell.

It was while I was going around camp minus my lower garments that I saw
Pete suddenly throw up his head and suspiciously sniff the air, at the
same time sharply scanning the windward side of our camp. Living so long
with this strange man made me familiar with his actions and quick to
detect anything unusual and I now knew that something of interest had
happened. To the windward and close by us was a mound thickly covered
with bullberry bushes and underbrush, and so far as could be seen there
was nothing suspicious in the appearance of the thicket. Fixing my eyes
on Big Pete, I saw a peculiar expression spread over his face which
seemed to be half of mirth and half of wonderment, and I immediately
knew that his wonderful nose had warned him of the presence of something
to th