Red Plume — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LYING PERDU. 47 “ As that p’int is settled, we will jist git across, and then you can ’tend to the land navigation.” They waded the shallow stream, and walked up the bank where the Delaware soon found marks of feet on the soft ground, and they again.followed the trail easily and rapidly The Delaware was silent, and Eben, imitating his example, scarcely uttered:a word. 7 It was near nightfall when they reached, by way of a. wooded slope, a valley, through which flowed a broad and”: beautiful river, none other than the fair Saskatchie, by whose banks.La-la and her lover had walked. Here the trail seemed to grow “ warmer,” and Black Beaver counseled his friend te be still more silent and cautious. 'They proceeded more cere fully and slowly, concealing themselves, as much as possible, from the view of any Blackfeet who might be straggling about, until the Delaware suddenly stopped, Jaid his hand on hiscom- panion’s arm, and pointed to a number of horses that were erizing in the meadow, some distance beyond them. “Jnjun camp mighty close,” said he. “We go up through timber.” He examined his rifle, and loosened his knife in its belt, and the Yankee looked to the condition of his harpoon and its coil of light line, and then they moved silently up the slope. When they reached the edge of the prairie, they could plainly see the Indian village, which lay just before them. Smoke was curling up from some of the lodges, and men, women, and children were moving about among them. The two scouts made a circuit, gaining the rear of the village, and held a council of war in the shelter of some bushes, at the same time closely watching the scene beneath them. The Delaware said that they could do nothing until late in the night, when the Blackfeet would be asleep, and then they could only take ad- vantage of any chances that might offer. In the mean time, it was necessary to remain concealed, and to kvep quiet: This arrangement suited Eben very well, as even his head- strong valor quailed at the thought of encountering such a su- perior force, and, besides, he had had no sleep the previous night, and felt strongly inclined, as he said, to “ turn in and caulk.” Black Beaver selected a retired and sheltered spot, in which, : connmicloookscom