“Them’s head chief’s niggurs,” said Rube, at this moment riding forward. “Looke! yonder’s the old skunk hisself, on the spotted hoss!”
“You think it is they, Rube?” inquired Seguin.
“Sure as shootin’, cap.”
“But where are the rest of his band? These are not all.”
“They ain’t far off, I’ll be boun’. Hish-sh! I hear them a-comin’.”
“Yonder’s a crowd! Look, boys! look!”
Through the fog, now floating away, a dark body of mounted men were seen coming up the opposite side. They advanced with shouts and ejaculations, as though they were driving cattle. It was so. As the fog rose up, we could see a drove of horses, horned cattle, and sheep, covering the plain to a great distance. Behind these rode mounted Indians, who galloped to and fro, goading the animals with their spears, and pushing them forward.
“Lord, what a plunder!” exclaimed one of the hunters.
“Ay, them’s the fellows have made something by thar expedition. We are comin’ back empty as we went. Wagh!”
I had been engaged in saddling my horse, and at this moment came forward. It was not upon the Indians that my eye rested, nor upon the plundered cattle. Another object attracted my gaze, and sent the blood curdling to my heart.