They spoke little; they were too tired for that, also they were too comfortable. Their respective suppers of fresh antelope steak, shot that day, had just been disposed of. Their feet were directed towards the small fire on which the said steaks had been cooked, and which still threw a warm, ruddy glow over the encampment. Their blankets were wrapped comfortably round them, and tucked in as only hunters and mothers know _how_ to tuck them in. Their respective pipes delivered forth, at stated intervals, three richly yellow puffs of smoke, as if a three-gun battery were playing upon the sky from that particular spot of earth. The horses were picketed and hobbled in a rich grassy bottom close by, from which the quiet munch of their equine jaws sounded pleasantly, for it told of healthy appetites, and promised speed on the morrow. The fear of being overtaken during the night was now past, and the faithful Crusoe, by virtue of sight, hearing, and smell, guaranteed them against sudden attack during the hours of slumber. A perfume of wild flowers mingled with the loved odours of the "weed," and the tinkle of a tiny rivulet fell sweetly on their ears. In short, the "Pale-faces" were supremely happy, and disposed to be thankful for their recent deliverance and their present comforts. "I wonder what the stars are," said Dick, languidly taking the pipe out of his mouth. "Bits o' fire," suggested Joe. "I tink dey are vorlds," muttered Henri, "an' have peepels in dem. I have hear men say dat." A long silence followed, during which, no doubt, the star-gazers were working out various theories in their own minds. "Wonder," said Dick again, "how far off they be." "A mile or two, maybe," said Joe. Henri was about to laugh sarcastically at this, but on further consideration he thought it would be more comfortable not to, so he lay still. In another minute he said,-- "Joe Blunt, you is ver' igrant. Don't you know dat de books say de stars be hondreds, tousands--oh! milleryons of mile away to here, and dat dey is more bigger dan dis vorld?" Joe snored lightly, and his pipe fell out of his mouth at this point, so the conversation dropped. Presently Dick asked in a low tone, "I say, Henri, are ye asleep?" "Oui," replied Henry faintly. "Don't speak, or you vill vaken me."