oon fell asleep again, and this time slept long and profoundly.

It was after nightfall,--in fact, near midnight, when I awoke. The air
had grown chilly, but I found I had not been neglected; my serape was
wrapped closely around me, and with a buffalo-robe, had sufficiently
protected me from the cold while I slept.

On awaking, I felt much better and stronger. I looked around for my
companions. The fire had gone out--no doubt intentionally extinguished,
lest its glare amid the darkness might attract the eye of some roving
Indian. The night was a clear one, though moonless; but the heaven was
spangled with its sparkling worlds, and the starlight enabled me to make
out the forms of the two trappers and the group of browsing horses. Of
the former, one only was asleep; the other sat upright, keeping guard
over the camp. He was motionless as a statue: but the small spark
gleaming like a glowworm from the bowl of his tobacco pipe, gave token
of his wakefulness. Dim as the light was, I could distinguish the
upright form to be that of the earless trapper. It was Garey who was
sleeping.

I could have wished it otherwise. I was anxious to have some
conversation with the younger of my companions; I was longing for an
explanation, and I should have preferred addressing myself to Garey.

My anxiety would not allow me to wait, and I turned towards Rube. He
sat near me, and I spoke in a low tone, so as not to awake the sleeper.
"How came you to find me?"

"By follerin yur trail."

"Oh, you followed me then! From the settlements?"

"Not so fur. Bill an me wur camped in the chapparil, an spied you a
gallupin arter the white hoss, as ef all the devils out o' hell wur
arter you. I knowd yur at a glimp; so did Bill. Sez I: `Bill, thet
ur's the young fellur as tuk me for a grizzly up thur in the mountains,'
and the reckoleckshun o' the sark'instance sot me a larfin till my ole
ribs ached. `It ur the same,' sez Bill; an jest then, we met a Mexikin
who hed been yur guide, gallupin about in sarch o' you. He gin us a
story 'bout some gurl thet hed sent you to catch the white hoss; some
saynyora with a dodrotted long name. `Durn the weemen!' sez I to Bill.
Didn't I, Bill?"

To this interesting interrogatory, Garey, who was but half asleep, gave
an assenting grunt.

"Wal," continued Rube, "seem thur wur a pettycoat in the case, I sez to
Bill, sez I: `Thet young fellur ain't a-gwine to pull up till eyther he
grups the h