Red Plume — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

A RECONNOISSANCE. 2 67 “Thar’s the hull blasted lot of ’em, I reckon, Cap’n Frank,” said the trapper. “The night is too dark, and the timber too thick, fur countin’ the lodges, but I make no doubt that the hull crowd that was camped Kd yonder, is now lyin’ hereabouts.” ) “But what are they there for, Bill? They had a better eal ground, and plenty of wood and grass where they were.” “ That’s a fact, and you may be sure they hevn’t come here fur nothin’? They mean business, Cap’n Frank, and business with them means fight; that’s what’s the trouble- With the Blackfeet jest now. It sorter strikes me, too, that they ain’t more’n a thousand miles from our .ccamp. What Say you, Red Plume?” “Maybe so not many mile,” answered the Indian. “ Not many miles from N epercy camp, too. If they want ee they shall find him in the fight.” “Why, you don’t allow, you foolish red-skin, that they are Sech durned fools as to make all this trouble, and git into a big row, jest because of you and that so0ddookin’ squaw ?” “Maybe so yes; the Fat Bear was a chief, and La-la was | the wife of a chief and the daughter of a big warrior.” “Wal, thar’s no use in palaverin’.. Talk is easy, but it never took any sculps. S’pose you two lie low, and take keer of the hosses, while Red Plume and T sneak down below, and find out what we ken.” A place of rendezvqus was selected, and the trapper and the Indian moved cautiously and silently down the declivity, availing themselves of every convenient cover, although it - Was hardly possible that they could be observed from the vil- lage. When they reached the plain, which was heayily tim- bered, and afforded good opportunity for concealment, they | agreed to divide, one passing to the right, and the other to the left of the encampment, and to meet, on their return from. their respective scouts, at the point where they separated. | Bush went to the right, moving almost as silently asa snake thn the grass, now walking boldly in the shelter of a thicket, 8nd then crawling and squirming over the slight ieefaali tid Of the ground, where there was little or no cover. Some- | times he was enabled to edge quite close to the lodges; and at ad | connicloooks.com