jealousy the smallest movement
of the trapper and his companion, sufficiently established the important fact of
its possessing vitality.
    »Your reptile is a scouter, or I'm no judge of Indian paints and Indian
deviltries,« muttered the old man, dropping the butt of his weapon to the
ground, and gazing with a steady eye at the frightful object, as he leaned on
its barrel, in an attitude of great composure. »He wants to face us out of sight
and reason, and make us think the head of a red-skin is a stone covered with the
autumn leaf, or he has some other devilish artifice in his mind!«
    »Is the animal human!« demanded the Doctor, »of the genus homo! I had
fancied it a non-descript.«
    »It's as human, and as mortal too, as a warrior of these Prairies is ever
known to be. I have seen the time when a red-skin would have shown a foolish
daring to peep out of his ambushment in that fashion on a hunter I could name,
but who is too old now, and too near his time, to be any thing better than a
miserable trapper. It will be well to speak to the imp, and to let him know he
deals with men whose beards are grown. Come, forth from your cover, friend,« he
continued in the language of the extensive tribes of the Dahcotahs; »there is
room on the Prairie for another warrior.«
    The eyes appeared to glare more fiercely than before, but the mass which
according to the trapper's opinion was neither more nor less than a human head,
shorn, as usual among the warriors of the west, of its hair, still continued
without motion, or any other sign of life.
    »It is a mistake!« exclaimed the Doctor. »The animal is not even of the
class Mammalia, much less a man.«
    »So much for your knowledge!« returned the trapper laughing with great
exultation. »So much for the l'arning of one who has look'd into so many books
that his eyes are not able to tell a moose from a wildcat! Now, my Hector, here,
is a dog of education after his fashion, and though the meanest primmer in the
settlements would puzzle his schooling, you could'nt cheat the hound in a matter
like this. As you think the object no man, you shall see his whole formation,
and then let an ignorant old trapper who never passed a day within reach of a
spelling