"INJUN ON THE BACK-TRACK."

We had advanced about a mile farther, when our scouts--who, as usual,
had gone forward to reconnoitre--having ascended a swell of the prairie,
were observed crouching behind some bushes that grew upon its crest.

We all drew bridle to await the result of their reconnoissance. The
peculiar attitude in which they had placed themselves, and the apparent
earnestness with which they glanced over the bushes, led us to believe
that some object was before their eyes of more than common interest.

So it proved. We had scarcely halted, when they were seen to retire
suddenly from the cover, and rising erect, run at full speed back down
the hill--at the same time making signals to us to conceal ourselves in
the timber.

Fortunately, there was timber near; and in a few seconds we had all
ridden into it, taking the horses of the trappers along with us.

The declivity of the hill enabled the scouts to run with swiftness; and
they were among the trees almost as soon as we.

"What is it?" inquired several in the same breath.

"Injun on the back-track," replied the panting trappers.

"Indians!--how many of them?" naturally asked one of the rangers.

"Who slayed Injuns? We saved a Injun," sharply retorted Rube. "Damn
yur palaver! thur's no time for jaw-waggin'. Git yur rope ready, Bill.
'Ee durned greenhorns! keep down yur guns--shootin' won't do hyur--yu'd
hev the hul gang back in the flappin' o' a beaver's tail. You, Bill,
rope the redskin, an let the young fellur help--he knows how; an ef both
shed miss 'im, I ain't agwine. 'Ee hear me, fellurs? Don't ne'er a one
o' ye fire: ef a gun ur wanted, Targuts 'll be surfficient, I guess.
For yur lives don't a fire them ur blunderboxes o' yourn till ees see me
miss--they'd be heerd ten mile off. Ready wi' yur rope, Billee? You,
young fellur? All right; mind yur eyes both an snare the durned niggur
like a swamp-rabbit. Yanner he comes, right inter the trap, by the
jumpin Geehosophat!"

The pithy chapter of instructions above detailed was delivered in far
less time than it takes to read it. The speaker never paused till he
had uttered the final emphatic expression, which was one of his
favourite phrases of embellishment.

At the same instant I saw, just appearing above the crest of the ridge,
the head and shoulders of a savage. In a few seconds more, the body
rose in sight; and then the thighs and legs, with a large piebald
mustang between th