prowling, they guard their camps at night with jealous

care. The horses in particular are both hobbled and

picketed, and sentries are posted all round the camp.

Yet, in spite of these precautions, hostile Indians manage

to elude the sentries and creep into the camp. When a

thief thus succeeds in effecting an entrance, his chief

danger is past. He rises boldly to his feet, and wrapping

his blanket or buffalo robe round him, he walks up

and down as if he were a member of the tribe. At the

same time he dexterously cuts the lariats of such horses