Strange
as it may seem to those who do not know how keen the senses become
when whetted by the apprehensions and wants of savage life,
Pigeonswing was enabled to discover signs which showed that the
excepted were provided with bows and arrows, and spears.
When the bee-hunter and his companion came in sight of the carcase
of the bear, which they did shortly after the last remark which we
have given in the dialogue recorded, the former exclaimed with a
little surprise:
"How's this, Chippewa! You have killed this beast with your bow! Did
you not hunt with the rifle yesterday?"
"Bad fire rifle off now-a-day," answered Pigeonswing, sententiously.
"Make noise--noise no good."
"Noise!" repeated the perfectly unsuspecting bee-hunter. "Little
good or little harm can noise do in these openings, where there is
neither mountain to give back an echo, or ear to be startled. The
crack of my rifle has rung through these groves a hundred times and
no harm come of it."
"Forget war-time now. Bess nebber fire, less can't help him.
Pottawattamie hear great way off."
"Oh! That's it, is it! You're afraid our old friends the
Pottawattamies may find us out, and come to thank us for all that
happened down at the river's mouth.
Pages:
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386