he looked all over the wagon, and noticing that I had no
sixshooter on, he picked up the carbine and walked out about a
hundred yards to a little knoll, threw his arms in the air, and
made signs.

"Instantly, out of the cover of some timber on the creek a
quarter above, came about twenty young bucks, mounted, and
yelling like demons. When they came up, they began circling
around the fire and wagon. I was sitting on an empty corn-crate
by the fire. One young buck, seeing that I was not scaring to
suit him, unslung a carbine as he rode, and shot into the fire
before me. The bullet threw fire and ashes all over me, and I
jumped about ten feet, which suited them better. They circled
around for several minutes, every one uncovering a carbine, and
they must have fired a hundred and fifty shots into the fire. In
fact they almost shot it out, scattering the fire around so that
it came near burning up the bedding of our outfit. I was scared
thoroughly by this time. If it was possible for me to have had
fits, I'd have had one sure. The air seemed full of coals of fire
and ashes. I got good practical insight into what hell's like. I
was rustling the rolls of bedding out of the circle of fire,
expecting every moment would be my last. It's a wonder I wasn't
killed. Were they throwing lead? Well, I should remark! You see
the ground was not frozen around the fire, and the bullets buried
themselves in the soft soil.

"After they had had as much fun as they wanted, the leader gave a
yell and they all circled the other way once, and struck back
into the timber. Some of them had brought up the decoy Indian's
horse when they made the dash at first, and he suddenly turned as