inia City itself, in a short trip by the cars from Bismark."

"Thanks," said Ernest Wilton, appreciating the other's sly allusion to
those dear companions of his with whom he had so little in keeping. "As
I will be within easy reach of them in case of need, I shall be all the
better pleased to remain with you, as then I'll have two strings to my
bow! But, to finish my narrative:--the weather was so bad after we left
the supposed site of the oil wells, that we could make no headway at
all; and on our arriving at Fort Phil Kearney, which, to our
mortification, was deserted, my solitary white companion, who had
accompanied me faithfully so far, turned tail with two of the remaining
Indians--of the Crow tribe, of course, rascally fellows, just like the
birds from whom they are named!"

"You like those chaps," said Mr Rawlings with a smile, "dearly, eh?"

"I do `muchly,' as Artemus Ward says," responded Ernest. "I should like
to pay them out! But to make a long story short, with the remaining two
Indian guides--who only came with me after I promised them a small
fortune on my reaching a settlement--I managed to lose my way utterly;
and then having lost the guides also, I wandered about hungry and cold
until I met your hunters amongst the mountains, when all my troubles
were ended."

"Thank goodness they met you!" said Mr Rawlings cordially. "But those
Indians must have deserted," he continued musingly. "They are much too
knowing to have lost their way."

"Yes, I know it," said Ernest Wilton. "They were afraid of encountering
any of the Sioux, who are near you, I think."

"Yes, too close to be pleasant," said Mr Rawlings. "But we have not
had any trouble with them yet."

"And I hope you won't at all," responded the other with much heartiness.
"Those Crow Indians with me were continually talking about Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail. I think those were the names of the chiefs they
mentioned."

"Yes," replied Mr Rawlings, "both have Indian reservations in Dakota."

"Is that so? I thought that might be only their yarring when they said
so; but they mentioned those two chiefs in particular, I remember now,
and asserted that they intended `digging up the hatchet,' as they termed
it in their euphonious language, as soon as the spring came round!
However, I wouldn't place much credence in their statement, I assure
you. Those Crows are such curs that they would say anything rather than
venture `within measurable dista