“You see them ar Ingens; well, them is Sacs and Foxes. I know ’em, for I _fit_ agin ’em when Black Hawk led ’em on. And now I think on’t: it’s dreadful aggravating to see how the folks at the east’ard are honouring that ar rascal for killing and murdering the whites, while we who _fit_ agin him to prevent it, a’int taken no notice on; it’s monstrous aggravating. But that a’int nothing to the _pint_. You see them ar Ingens on that ar hill. Now you think there’s only three on ’em. There you think a lie—bekase there’s more behind ’em;—for if there wa’rnt they would come on to meet us, and wouldn’t be squatting like so many woodchucks in the _parara_. They’m waiting for the rest to come up, to see whether they think it best to rob us or not. That’s my opinion, and I know something of Ingen natur, for I _fit_ agin ’em. Now I know one what they won’t rob, and that’s me; first, bekase I ai’nt got nothing to lose; and second, bekase I intend to make my yager[E] speak to the first red skin what tries to take it. And now, my boys, move a-head—keep a stiff upper lip, and don’t be in a hurry to use your _wepons_. If the worst comes to the worst, we can keep ’em off until the wagons come up, and then we’ll lick ’em.” [E] This is a short rifle, and carries a very large ball. They are used by the U. S. dragoons, on account of the convenience of their length. After finishing his address, he shouldered his yager and strode on, followed by the rest of us. Notwithstanding his knowledge of “Ingen natur,” we did not place as much confidence in his experience as he might have supposed; nor did we expect to push matters to the extremity, which he seemed to take for granted would be the result of our meeting. In five minutes we were at the bottom of the hill. The savages maintained their sitting posture on the summit, nor did they rise until we came within about ten yards of them. Upon reaching them we found that the soldier had been correct in one of his conjectures; for at the distance of little less than a quarter of a mile, were about seventy more of the same band, driving in front of them a large drove of horses. They were all wild, uncouth looking fellows. Some few were dressed in blankets, but the most of them in robes of buffalo skin. At the sight of us they raised a loud yell, and leaving their horses to the charge of one or two squaws, scampered over the prairie to meet us. “I told you so,” said Wolf. “Look to your guns, and when they crowds around, keep a tight grip on the _wepons_, but don’t fire till it comes to the pinch.”