ree carefully approached the camp-fire, and soon assured themselves
that there was but a single person near it, an old Indian who sat with
closed eyes and nodding head, totally unmindful of their presence.

"Yes, he is all alone," remarked Howard, in response to the statement
that Tim had made on first seeing the fire. "But he has no gun, so far
as I can see."

"Has he anything to eat?" inquired Elwood. "For that is getting to be
the most important matter."

"There doesn't appear to be any."

"Jist howld still where you baas, till I takes a look around," said Tim,
with an admonitory wave of the hand.

They obeyed while he went still nearer on tiptoe. When he was scarcely
twenty feet away he paused, and stooping down and bending his head first
to one side and then to the other, and raising and arching his neck
until his longitudinal dimensions became fearful, he at last satisfied
himself that the Indian was alone.

Without moving his feet, Tim now turned his head and motioned for his
companions to join him. They did so very carefully and silently, and the
three men then stood where the light of the fire shone full in their
faces, and where they could not help being the first objects the Indian
would see when he was pleased to look up.

"We'll have to wake him," whispered Tim, "and shall I yill, or hit him
with a stone on top of the head?"

"Neither; I have heard that the slumber of Indians is very light, and if
you just speak or make a slight noise I have no doubt it will rouse
him."

The fire, which had at its first kindling been large, was now
smouldering as though it had not been touched for several hours. The
Indian was seated on a large stone, his arms hanging listlessly over his
knees, and his head sunk so low that his features could not be seen.
Instead of the defiant scalp-lock drooping from his crown, his hair was
long and luxuriant, and plentifully mixed with gray. It hung loosely
over his shoulders, and in front of his face, and helped to give him a
strange, repulsive appearance.

"I say, owld gintleman, are you draaming, or--"

As quick as lightning the head of the Indian flashed up, and his black
eyes were centered with a look of alarm upon the individuals before him.
Tim had had some experience with these people when a miner, and he now
began making signs to the savage, who seemed on the point of springing
up and darting away. Naturally enough the Irishman continued talking,
although it was ce