Carsfield was strongly inclined to believe this.
"Where is Bungslager?"
"That is hard to tell," said Crockett; "we can think only of her at present."
The Texan turned suddenly upon his companion.
"See here, you have a bear-skin with you; isn't it possible for you to play the bear too?"
Colonel Crockett took at once.
"I'll do it."
And straightway he began arraying himself in the costume of the animal. He succeeded in making quite a resemblance, but when it was finished both saw that the thing could not be done during daylight.
The only way by which they could hope to succeed was by Crockett actually taking the place of the Comanche who had been playing the part of bear. Any critical scrutiny of the counterfeit by the Indians would be certain to result in their detection of the trick. If they could be made to believe that Crockett was their own comrade frolicking about the camp, they would not be apt to bestow much attention upon him. Still, as it was certain that the trick would be discovered sooner or later, it was all-important that they should have the darkness of night in which to work.
Accordingly the two withdrew to a safe distance, and the Texan went on a little foraging expedition of his own, managing to secure enough food for present purposes.