As evening approached we returned to the home of Lobo, where a good fire burning in the centre of the lodge made it quite comfortable except for the smoke that nearly blinded us; but by lying down on our blankets we found we could avoid this discomfort.
Tom dropped in for a few minutes to see how we were getting along and to tell us that under the stimulating influence of the whiskey I had brought the old chief was showing a decided improvement.
Two women had for some time been busy cooking a meat stew in a kettle that hung over the fire. After a time I brought out and gave them some coffee, sugar, and hardtack that I had brought in my saddle pocket to add to the meal. After lifting the big kettle off the fire, the women, with a great horn spoon, ladled out a dishful of the stew to each of the guests first, and then to Lobo.
We ate hungrily. Lobo was the last one to "throw up the sponge" and announce his perfect satisfaction by a prolonged Indian grunt, and then as he leaned back against a pile of bedding, he added: "Muy wano!"
Before eating I had handed a plug of tobacco to Lobo, who had whittled off enough to fill a great red-stone pipe and then returned the plug to me. I tried to induce him to keep the plug, but he declined. As Tom had intimated would be the case, a number of men dropped in after supper to call on Lobo and his white visitors, and the big red pipe was then brought out, lit with a coal of fire, and put on its travels, each taking a puff and passing it to the next.
The Indians evidently appreciated the free tobacco I was furnishing, for the pipe was soon smoked out, refilled, and emptied again and again, till all were fully sated. After this some talk was indulged in, and then the visitors went out one by one, till only the captain and I and Lobo's family remained. Saunders and I soon after removed our coats and boots and turned in.
During the evening the woman had carried in several armfuls of wood and piled it convenient to the fire in the centre of the lodge, and, the weather being quite cold, she got up several times during the night to replenish the fire.
Saunders and I were both awake by daylight, but, as our host and his family and the dogs still seemed soundly sleeping, we kept our bed for a time to avoid disturbing them. Finally, old Lobo crawled out and, wrapping his buffalo robe around him, went outside the lodge. In a few minutes we heard him, in a loud voice, haranguing the camp, and a few minutes later the camp was all astir.
After breakfast, on telling Lobo that we wished to return to our camp, two of his boys drove the herd into camp and roped our animals, which were quickly saddled and packed.
I took the remains of the plug of tobacco and the packages of sugar, coffee, and hardtack out of our saddle pockets, carried them into Lobo's lodge, and laid them down.