Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/56

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UK- Indian and mountaineer; and as we have come among tliem voluntarily, we have no right of course to quarrel with them fur it."

"Be jabers!" cried Teddy, " is it mur- llu I'in^- the Injins twice they is, now, your honors?"

"Li would seem so," replied Huntly, with a smile.

' FMI.II, and your honor, and it's meself as thinks they naad it, sure, the blathering' spalpeens, to be coming- round us pace-able citizens wiJ their nonsense, and entiling our troats. Och! it' I'd a knowed how to lit oft this bothersome article, (holding up His rifle) I'd a killed a dozen o' the baastly crathurs, I would."

"Why, Teddy," I rejoined, " I thought you knew how to shoot a rifle? at least you to LI us so."

Teddy scratched his head, and put on a Very comical look, as he replied :

"Yes, but ye sae, your honor, it was an Irish rifle I was spaking of, barring that

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It wasn't made in Ireland.at all, at all, but in France, jist."

"But I thought they did not allow you to use rifles in Ireland, Teddy?"

"No more they don't; but thin, ye sae, it isn't sich murJiering thing-s as this now they uses."

"What then?"

"Why, I most forgit meself," returned the Irishman, with a perplexed look, again scratching his head. " Och! now I come to think on't, I belave it shot wid a long stick, and that it wasn't meself as shot it at all, at all. but me mother's father that knowed sich things pace to his ashes."

"Teddy," In-joined, assuming a serious tone which I was very far from feeling, "it is evident that this is the first rifle you ever laid hands on, and that the story you told us on the boat, about your exploits in shooting', was without the least foundation whatever."

"Ah! troth, it's like it may be," an swered the Hibernian, penitently, with a sigh. " It's like it may be, your honor; for tlivil a thing else can me make out of it. But ye sae, ye questioned me close now, and I's afeared that didn't I have the qualifications ye axed, I'd not be naaded; and as I saan ye was raal gintlemen, and DO blathers of spalpeens, it was going wfti

yoursel's Teddy O'Lagherty was afthn doing, if he told a story, jist for which howly Mary forgive me!"

"Well, well, Teddy, never mind," 1 said, smiling. "I will show you the USP of the rifle the first convenient opportunity; and so let what is past be forgotten."

"Ah!" cried the grateful Irishman, doffing his beaver and making a low bow "I knowed ye was gintlemen, yoiir honors, every inch of yees, and wouldn t be hard upon a poor forlorner like meself."

"Ha!" exclaimed Huntly, "listen!** and at the moment we heard the gloomy howl of a pack of wolves.

"They already smell the feast prepared for them, " I rejoined.

"Well, Frank, let us return to our camp fire; for I see the trappers have nearly completed their unenviable task."

Acting upon his suggestion, we set for ward, and gaining the fire, were soon joined by Black George and Daring Tom, who came up with five bloody scalps dan- p-lincr at their girdles bringing- with them

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also some two or three rifles, a fresh supply of powder and ball, and various other trifles which they had taken from the dead Indians,

"I think we can count a coup this heat,'* observed the old mountaineer, with hia peculiar, quiet lau^'h : " Eh! Tom ?"

"We can't do nothin else," was the satisfactory response.

"I say, Tom, them wolves smell blood."

"Well they does."

"Thar's plenty o' meat for 'em, any how; and ef they'll jest foller us, and them skunks of Pawnees want to try this here over a<nn, we'll make 'em fat. Eh! Tom ?"

"Will so-o."

"Yes, I'll be dog--gone ef we don't! But I say, Tom, ain't it most time for Rash and Fire to be in?"

"I reckon."

"Hope they didn't git throwed. It 'ud be a pity to hev them go under jest now and would spile all our sport."

"Well it would, hoss."

"Hark! thar goes a whistle! That'* them, or I'm a nigger."

"'Taint nobody else," responded Dar ing Tom.

"" All right. Augh! Let's smoke."

Squatting themselves upon the ground, cross-leg'g'ed, the trappers tilled