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H uhtf waintMl Cbmpfe !?y if to egteteg .tO caM cwwn. ft teg fJ fed KnastoJ gaping halt through fh tip el (kerp i left fad. at to dJ min M hs fate, dead isng p hi fcf forward on Upon young Jam hem I knew I li cn f.'i-- yv I p-0- f,if i a !?-- . 11 C'- IS A m frfl !' ri A el tot C tNi ri If fv-0,:- -; g ' ws-e- . f-- f iav i , im .t-- jt M W'5N At 14 i- - I N tesjil tmf, if w? ms lb !?, i Is lr lkwr muA to J torimj li fj t fg UpJ my lAetk wvj Ml mart hI M A.4 f in G&r&f, I wsci4 ri my iwanlk ikMJ &rl tojg (vt P Sii tee toi Rr to lm. tef ht4 li i t vntJI 14 tod Imt la tori. forgot About the pain hap and tef an groping for hi dropped rite. shotAd tack hm before he could gel the nil, but my body seemed detached from my mmd. It woukfnl men. I could only watch him groping among the hack hides, while poor, wounded George was attempt mg to untangle himself from hi own rote. Again there was the dank of steel, not es loud as before, but just as distinct James yelled again as he caught his left hand In the jaws of an beaver hap. Keep squirming around, there's two more traps in there, laughed George, unable to resist an opportunity for humor, in what appeared to me to be a very humorless situation. Georges warning had an immediate effect on James who froze, fearful of getting caught in another trap. He just crouched there, whimpering his defeat, afraid to move. I went over to help George. His foot was bleeding badly, but he was in good spirits over our victory. He lay on his back and put the wounded foot high in the air. Soon the bleeding slowed down to a gentle oozing. Wish we had some whiskey. Good eight-poun- d Ft. !irji nti ,a Sflttsof iFififfT-t- l In f Jim 4 8.rt I (4 i wt T Vjs': fl ? as' r t naj ng e4 isr.aa,s A, $-- f I il In! 4 ft S 84 ftrv 131 m i I ! yn if rna pFt 4 R4 i i ?W it f niliWf fuv rf 1 A P4 1 l,aN4 r.5 i 84 l toe U,4p 41 hi-Ait- H" I to5 A ! f. J4 to :y4 tfi li 14 t?st4 i icireCi rwi I fSjSIl to 4 4i m tK i tel rg 84 fkikl. t'-- WeTf W5?l 4N4 krt I t.M I rk, 1 rt ii4 414 Ml 144 84 Cvfc.fy N P4 I at w4 wtv tetj i,.,art '.t j An msl 1 toNg I i w Cwstg. but Afa?ma a few toot I a4 ti ni atff e - N-kSr- -- (kir Tte teOst NAa in Oirgk tart SJn1 teal h4?yw to! S .'y lean to I A tvpv hen h4 sickening smsd of retting feih. After tf first fever. day. h was (kcrtCkA I offered the tooi thmk-iramputate w-t- U tht enfy way la ut 11. but h vthementty Grgs fused la Id me da it. (nesting that it re- was gomg la heal. When he lapsed mta imoonsoousness. I deoded la amputate anyway, but by the tun I had heated toe kruvs end toe crosscut saw in toe hot coats, he was dead. I bured Beaver George under a pto of rocks on a grassy hillside overlooking the Wisdom River. I wanted to put marker cm toe grave, but was alraid that if I did. Indians would rob the grave and scalp the body. I was atone in a wild, dangerous land, barely 16 years old. If I could make it safety back to Fort Benton, my horses and hides would sell for more than enough to buy river boat passage back to St Louis and civilization. On toe other hand, I wanted to find out what had happened to Ike. The two prospectors who had deserted him during an Indian attack to save their own necks thought he was dead. I had a hard time believing that. After spending an entire winter with the escaped slave, dodging the Missouri law, I had a lot of confidence in his ability to survive. He was as strong as a bear and as cunning as a wild fox he was a survivor in ways hard for civilized men to comprehend. In my heart I believed he was still alive, possibly alone and in hid- - Di wt-- n raefed teo?y Drti Iftifral cf ter tecr at dark, pciiLfi ti tr4trg I mS n an4 y a pfienfy tf fy?raJ m I ccOi t.veu-gieutee a toe ta.ug cp t tee that keep toe tears The test toug I tod was tttoer toe hcrsei Out to gf tze Id tory Cfty fat much a$ pess4e brtort dark, when I wortd to to torrn to I f gathemJ wood Is the hr. I todnl sferp much toting tht mght I was cartful to keep the tee burning, as I comtanry heard new and strange sounds to the nearby woods. When tf dawn finally amved, I was relieved and tired My fears vanished wish the darkness. After staking the horses out to graze. I deeded to take a quick nap under the first rays of the morning sun before resuming my journey. 1 dont know how long I slept but the next thing I remember was a startled snort from one of the horses. Without lifting my head. I readied for the nffe at my side. It was gone! I looked up into the (aces of three grinning Indians, one of whom was pointing my own rifle back at my chest My first thought was how stupid I had been in burning such a bright fire during the night. Certainly I had advertised my position to the Indians. The one with the gun continued to aim the weapon at my chest, while the other two tied my hands and feet together with strips of rawhide. The three Indians started going through my gear. All three were young and athletic looking. All were dressed the same moccasins, loin cloths, and buckskin shirts. Two wore their hair in tay. A4 ti te-tT- tte !- -, rl"it f to t 8. to. t ari.i ,aj H k- - 44-- fl ti, 1 tf tn ?t i t toivs'! we! tn t i inttoiit mi 48 toll ta J I? 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