ON OUR WAY WE VISIT PIOMINGO--HE TELLS US OF BARTLE'S CAPTIVITY, AND OFFERS TO ASSIST US IN HIS RECOVERY--GIDEON, PIOMINGO, AND I SET OUT, FOLLOWED BY A STRONG PARTY UNDER SERGEANT CUSTIS--WE DISCOVER THE TRAIL, AND FOLLOW IT UP--HORRIBLE CRUELTIES PRACTISED BY INDIANS ON THEIR PRISONERS--THE TRAIL LEADS ALONG THE MOUNTAIN--WE SEE A FIGURE ABOVE US--IT IS BARTLE--IS HE ALIVE?--JUST IN TIME--GIDEON AND I STAY BY HIM--I AFTERWARDS SET OFF TO OBTAIN HELP--PIOMINGO HAS SENT A LITTER--WE ARRIVE SAFE AT ROARING WATER--HARD AT WORK REBUILDING THE HOUSE--A FORT ESTABLISHED--BARNEY AND KLITZ JOIN US--A VISIT FROM MANLEY--A PROPOSAL, AND CONFESSION--UNCLE JEFF APPROVES OF THE ENGAGEMENT OF MANLEY AND CLARICE--WINNEMAK AND PIOMINGO BECOME CHRISTIANS, AND INSTRUCT THEIR PEOPLE--THE HOUSE REBUILT--SETTLERS GATHER ROUND US, AND UNCLE JEFF'S FARM BECOMES THE MOST FLOURISHING IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 310-333 IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. CHAPTER I. WHY UNCLE JEFF CAME TO "ROARING WATER"--THE SITUATION OF THE FARM--THE INMATES OF THE HOUSE--MY SISTER CLARICE AND BLACK RACHEL--UNCLE JEFF--BARTLE WON AND GIDEON TUTTLE--ARRIVAL OF LIEUTENANT BROADSTREET AND HIS MEN--THE TROOPERS QUARTERED IN THE HUT--OUR FARM-LABOURERS--SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF THE REDSKIN WINNEMAK--HIS FORMER VISIT TO THE FARM--CLARICE ENCOUNTERS HIM AT THE SPRING--BADLY WOUNDED--KINDLY TREATED BY CLARICE AND RACHEL--HIS GRATITUDE. We were most of us seated round a blazing fire of pine logs, which crackled away merrily, sending the sparks about in all directions, at the no small risk of setting fire to garments of a lighter texture than ours. Although the flowers were blooming on the hill-sides, in the woods and valleys, and by the margins of the streams; humming-birds were flitting about gathering their dainty food; and the bears, having finished the operation of licking their paws, had come out in search of more substantial fare; and the buffalo had been seen migrating to the north,--the wind at night blew keenly from off the snow-capped mountain-tops which, at no great distance, rose above us, and rendered a fire acceptable even to us hardy backwoodsmen. Our location was far in advance of any settlement in that latitude of North America, for Uncle Jeff Crockett "could never abide," he averred, "being in the rear of his fellow-creatures." Whenever he had before found people gathering around him at the spot where he had pitched his tent, or rather, put up his log-hut, he had sold his property (always to advantage, however), and yoking his team, had pushed on westward, with a few sturdy followers.