would excite the suspicion of those who had charge of our horses, we
determined upon another line of conduct. Before daylight, I took my bow
and arrows, and succeeded in reaching a secure position, a few yards
from the burrow where the thieves were concealed, Gabriel did the same,
in a bush, half way between the burrow and our encampment. In the
meantime, Roche, with the five Americans, played their part admirably--
walking near to the burrow, swearing that our horses had been frightened
by some varmint and escaped, and started upon the tracks, with as much
noise as they could make; to deceive the robbers the more, they left
their rifles behind.

As soon as they were gone, the thieves issued from their places of
concealment, and one arming himself with his rifle, "went," as he said,
"to see if the coast was clear." He soon returned with two of our
rifles and a blazing piece of wood, and the worthies began laughing
together at the success of their ruse. They lighted a fire, took
another dram, and while one busied himself with preparing coffee, the
other two started, with no other weapon but their knives, to fetch the
saddle-bags and saddles.

They had not been gone five minutes, when I perceived an enormous
rattlesnake, ready to spring, at not half a yard from me. Since my
snake adventure among the Comanches, I had imbibed the greatest dread of
that animal, and my alarm was so great, that I rushed out of my
concealment, and, at a single bound, found myself ten yards from the
fellow, who was quietly blowing his fire and stirring his coffee. He
arose immediately made two steps backwards, and, quite unnerved by so
sudden an apparition, he extended his hand towards a tree, against which
the rifles had been placed.

That movement decided his fate, for not choosing to be shot at, nor to
close with a fellow so powerful that he could have easily crushed my
head between his thumb and finger, I drew at him; though rapid, my aim
was certain, and he fell dead, without uttering a single word, the arrow
having penetrated his heart. I then crawled to Gabriel, to whom I
explained the matter, and left him, to take my station near the two
remaining brigands. I found them busy searching the saddle-bags and
putting aside what they wished to secrete for their own use.

After they had been thus employed for half an hour, one of them put
three saddles upon his head, and, thus loaded, returned to the burrow,
desiring his companion t