Red Plume — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

68 RED PLUME. others was obliged to make a considerable detour, to escape observation. His principal object was, to determine the ex- act location of the camp, and to calculate, as nearly as possible, the number of warriors it contained. | All was quiet in the village, and there were no signs of life, except that, here and there, an Indian stood or walked among the lodges, as if standing sentry over his sleeping companions. Tiere and there remnants of fires were smoldering, and here and there, also, the trapper perceived the shield, head-dress and insignia of a chief, displayed on a pole in front of his lodge. A. few horses were secured within a small inclosure, and a large number were grazing in an open portion of the plain. It was evident that the Blackfeet considered themselves in such large force, or in such a secure position, that no attack was to be feared, and the trapper could not help concluding that they were right in their belief, for there was no party of their foes in that region with which he would haye yentured to assail them. Having completed his investigutions in this quarter, Bush made a circuit around the drove of horses, in order to reach — the stream, and survey the situation from that side. Keeping close to the bank of the little river, he worked his way through the thick growth of cottonwoods and willows, until he was. again nearly opposite the encampment. First looking care- | fully around, to make sure that he was not observed, he was | about to move toward the lodges, when his attention was ar- rested by an Indian, who was moving slowly down the stream, close under the edge of the bank, with his head and shoulders above the water, and a rifle in his hand. The first thought of the trapper was, that Red Plume had also mude the circuit. of the village, with the same purpose as — himself; but he reflected that the renegade had no rifle, and. éoncluded that it must be a prowling Blackfoot. It was ne- cessary, therefore, that he should be concealed until the Indian passed, and he availed himself of the shelter of a bush, from which he could observe the movements of his supposed foe. His surprise was considerable, and the unpleasant nature of his situation was apparent, when he saw the Indian stop op- posite where he lay, place his rifle on the shore, and raise hi$ head and shoulders above the bank. From his paint and thé ae comicbooks.conn