The Young Trail Hunters

e a keen, shrewd Yankee, who had spent the last twent

ht. After a long interview, both Lieutenant Howland and myself became convinced that Hal and Juanita were with the party he described

er and over again, the story told by Tom. Even Patsey, whom I had scarcely noticed since he joined the train, was tossing his well-worn cap

l yez! The boss has got the byse,

dea of our receiving even the meagre i

m a detailed account of the interview with Tom Pope,

ion to pursue the party, and asked, if I thought the guid

he scout, whom he had once met in Texas; and the two were soon upon the most friendly terms. It was understood, t

is preparations for the morrow's expedition, Ned and Patsey asked Tom for a story; but To

s a Comanche scout, I asked him if he h

able," an

ly cook their meat by placing it under the

m; "leastways, I've seen 'e

about it Tom, wil

t much of a story-teller. You just wait till I get my pipe filled, a

tsey, as he and Ned settled themselves in a c

S ST

nd lighted his

night, in the ruins of an Old ranche on the San Saba. Wall, I was alone and pretty tired. I didn't think nothin'

y hands behind me, and put me on a horse. Then we started, and I soon saw that they had been down into Mexico on a stealing expedition, and had had, good luck; for

then we halted; and one of the braves, all painted and fixed up

o a long lance the five scalps they had taken, and we all started for the village,

on. Then we went through the village. The squaws danced as they went along and made a great noise, singing so

the ground, before I found what they were going to do with me; for would you believe it, every old squaw and pappoose in that village, that had strength enough, flew at me and commenced biting, and kicking, and scra

okin' chap as I was when they got through. Why, there wasn't a spot on me as big as a five-cent piece, that didn't show some kind of a mark. I t

irst few days. When I got into Phantom Hill, the officers there told me, that they treated me as they always did all their prisoners. I had enough to eat, such a

ceremonies, when they start o

fight the Arapahoes; and I see

n's first rays should fall on 'em. That night a lot of the squaws commenced going around through the village, singing their war-songs, and making a great noise. They kept it up

ves a-cavortin' around so lively on their

against their enemies. They kept up these doin's for four or five days, and then they had a grand war-dance; and the next m

work, like the other Indi

nswered Tom. "The squaws allers do the hard work,

I wish I was a Inji

in' by one of the lodges, I made up my mind to scoot. They was havin' a big time that night, gittin' ready for another expedition, and I knew they'd be putty busy. As soon as 'twas dark, I picked up the rifle, and, kind er slowly, made my way down t

er on the prairie, and shot one, never thinkin' that I hadn't anoth

les as I could between me and ther village. While I was a-wonderin' what ter do, I happened to think about puttin' it under the saddle; so I

ttle, and looked at my steaks, and they was cooked just as nice as

n hour or two, and then saddled up, and rode along. Putty soon I happened ter look round,

t agin bows and arrows; so I throwed it away, and made up my mind, if wost came to wost, I'd take my chances in the river, 'cause yer see the Comanches never let a prisoner get away the second time. I kept urgin' my hoss, and the critter kep' tryin', but I see he was ab

oldiers doing th

out twenty miles below where we was. They chased the

to San Antonio with Major Neighbors, the Injun agent. Afterwards, I heard that the

're goin' with me to-morrow, you'd better go ter bed and git s

d that "he'd thry that way of cooking, steak the first b

led a squad of twenty of the "Mounted Rifles" under command of Lieutenant Jackson, and ordered them provisions, for ten days. They were to start at

and we fell into line, and rode slowly forth in the direction of the mountains, followed, not only by the good wishes of every man in the post, but by Patsey's brogans, which he threw after us for

settlements. Our course lay to the east of north, over an elevated, arid

ined, and its branches bear a long, narrow pod, filled with saccharine matter, which, when

or its roots, which are used for fuel and very fin

s covered with a peculiar kind of grass called grama, which retains its nutritious qualities throughout the whole year. This grass is sometimes cut by

eaks rose above us to the height of more than three thousand feet, strangely and perfectly rese

which their thick branches afforded; but we pushed on, and in another hour reached the entrance to the ca?on, in which Tom had discovered the Indians' trail. Here we found it

ay up the gorge for about four hundred yards, when we came to a large reservoir, or ba

ficient to substantiate Tom's opinion fully, for we discovered the tracks of three white persons, one of whom was a woman. Ned insisted that he rec

right trail, the lieutenant decided to

ds him at the moment, and saw him, without the least hesitation draw his sheath-knife, and sever its head from its body, with one stroke, leaving the head hanging to the leg of his pants. I hurried towards him, but the boy was not in the least

the circumstances than he had done. Tom Pope asserted the boy was a "born Injin hunter," and old Jerry declared that he was "willing to make a 'ce

into the burning sunshine of the plain, when, making sure of the trail, our guid

d pace, which was kept up until long after the sun had set and darkness had fairl

o me, and said, "Be you pretty sure, judge, tha

at once

ou think so?"

inion had been asked, I saw that the only cause for it was the fact, that the attack had been made in the Comanche coun

eason for supposing them to be C

ng this arternoon, I found this 'ere thing along

ce, I recognized as having been made by the Apaches, its shape being

hless, utterly overwhelmed

Apaches, who were never known to surrender a captive alive. Then, as I thought of a worse fate than death, that was in store for