Scouting with Kit Carson

ithin sight. The poor beast on which he had ridden was dead and there was no means by which the young trapper might return to the camp where he had left his friend. In the distance the

ere he now was standing he had no means of knowing. He looked behind him, but was unable to discover even his

foothills, but it was plain to him now that the herd which he had pursued had not moved in a strai

ss of the buffalo cow he had shot his wants would be supplied. The light, however, was too dim to enable

hen they had dashed across the plains. The pack-horses, too, doubtless had fled, and Reuben shuddered as he thought what was likely to be their fate before the morning appeared. The pursuit of the buffalo ca

he sound of Jean's rifle. The oppressive silence of the great desert, however, was unbroken. Twinkling stars had appeared in the sky, the air was motionless, the solitude

. Every muscle in his body seemed to be sore. He advanced with difficulty, and the saddl

. He was hungry as well as tired, and the fear of an attack

, the boy remained motionless and waited for the strangers to come near him. The sight was not one to soothe

advancing party was composed, of three Indians. One of them was much smaller than his two companions and

following showed that they were now approaching. In a brief time they drew near and one of them spoke. "How? How?"

so held forth his hands in a way t

ed the Indian that

beasts which they were riding apparently being well-nigh exhausted. The smallest member of the party he now discovered was a

re go?" repeat

My horse stumbled and fell in a prairie-dog village over here. The poor brute broke his leg and I had to shoot him. I thought

ed the Indian prom

you go?" inq

ht hand to indicate the distance which must

d Reuben, startled

shaking his head, again

miles, you mean

hat the young white had spoken correctly. Plainly the

an said: "Me Breaker of Arrows. Come to

here to steal their h

l; take

great success. These ponies you are riding look as if they had

e Indian grimly. "Pawnee shut

nd you?" inq

. Dark Night, no find," added the war

of the party appa

you get the

. Get horses

wild," said Reuben. "Have

or, although the only weapons the three Cheyennes carried were bows a

a buff

" demanded the

e, for one was enough, but I kept on, thinking I would get another, and so I passed the place where the

esman once more turned to Reuben and by the aid of signs and a few words intimated his desire for the

the dead animal they might not return, Reuben nevertheless agreed to

hey should go. The boy watched them until the outlines of their forms no longer could be seen in the dim li

and, using the saddle as a pillow. His rifle was loaded and placed be

n every direction to discover the approaching party. At first he was unable to see what had awakened him, but in a brief time he saw a man approaching on horseback. In a little while he was convinc

it?" inqui

pony, for by this time he had drawn near the pla

u going?" inq

and after a brief hesitation Reu

me the desired point was gained and there Reuben discovered the Indian boy who had been with him a little while before. The third Indian, however, w

ire and parts of the buffalo tongue and steaks which they had c

s prepared and eaten. Then Reuben inqui

. What

inquired Reuben. "Well, I wish some o

Black Night come, too. Whi

, "I must stay here.

time they mounted their ponies and prepared to leave Reuben alone in

e place where he then was he was protected from sudden attacks an

revealed to Reuben a sight even more startling than that of the preceding