his companion with a
degree of fondness that could hardly be said to be exceeded by any other of the
Party. The approach of the naturalist was far less rapid than that of those who
preceded him. His feet seem'd equally reluctant to advance, or to remain
stationary; his position bearing a great analogy to that of Mahomet's coffin,
with the exception that the quality of repulsion rather than that of attraction
held him in a state of rest. The repulsive power in his rear, however, appeared
to predominate, and by a singular exception, as he would have said himself, to
all philosophical principles, it rather increased than diminished by distance.
As the eyes of the naturalist steadily maintained a position that was the
opposite of his route they served to give a direction to those of the observers
of all these movements, and at once, furnished a sufficient clue by which to
unravel the mystery of so sudden a debouchement from the cover.
    Another cluster of stout, and armed men, was seen at no great distance, just
rounding a point of the thicket, and moving directly though cautiously towards
the place where the band of the Siouxes was posted, as a squadron of cruisers is
often seen to steer across the waste of waters towards the rich but
well-protected convoy. In short, the family of the squatter, or at least such
among them as were capable of bearing arms, appeared in view, on the broad
Prairie, evidently bent on revenging their wrongs.
    Mahtoree and his party slowly retired from the thicket, the moment they
caught a view of the strangers, until they halted on a swell that commanded a
wide and unobstructed view of the naked fields on which they stood. Here the
Dahcotah appeared disposed to make his stand, and to bring matters to an issue.
Notwithstanding this retreat, in which he compelled the trapper to accompany
him, Middleton still advanced until he too, halted on the same elevation, and
within speaking distance of the warlike Siouxes. The borderers in their turn
took a favourable position, though at a much greater distance. The three groupes
now resembled so many fleets at sea, lying with their top-sails to the masts,
with the commendable precaution of reconnoitring, before each could ascertain
who among the strangers might be considered as friends, and who as foes.
    During this moment of suspense the dark, threatening, eye of Mahtoree rolled
from one of the strange parties to the other, in keen and hasty examination, and
then it turned its withering look on the old man, as the chief said, in a tone
of high and