ben did not understand, appeared to be intensely interested in the

he new party. He told me, though, that he didn't find any fun in his work. A good deal of

d to shoot buffaloe

sed to chase the rats out of the corn-bin and then he would say to himself, 'Here are poor Kit Carson's buffaloes.' When the winter was gone he still did not find any party of trappers that was willing that he should join them.

r a lot of men that were going to Chihuahua. When he got there he hired out again as a teamster for a man who was going to the copper mines. But he didn't really get his chance to begin his scouting and trapping until he came back to Taos. He had become so used to seeing part

dn't have felt that way if he had seen me. What do you suppose a li

you, if you tried

od un!" roared Rat. "Do you th

think he

ot my hands on him I would break his

not reply to the boa

his party you are telli

ut f

d was K

t twe

he wasn't afraid of anything on earth? How do

mpanion. He was aware that Rat was deeply interested, a

more beaver, shot and scalped more redskins, killed

e other things, either. He did say that scouts were always sent ahead of the men t

find any Indi

y were likely to be attacked by the same redskins that h

Kit single-handed kil

id his part. This Mr. Young p

did

ans saw the little party they did not know there were any others, so they chased them clear back into the

l the redskins

t they didn't make any more attacks on them. By the time the men had reached the headwaters of the San Francisco River they had so many

kept Kit Carso

grass for the horses, or water for any one, or even wood enough to make a fire. Out there on the desert there w

were

hey were mighty careful every day when they measured out the water and divided up the meat. When they had been o

did it

as that water. It didn't seem as if they could get enough. The men rested up a while and then started on again across the desert.

water and horse meat! Which did they t

What difference

dried apples for breakfast, cold water for dinner, and swells

el Valley. The priests had taught the Indians there how

ey do? Help

. They paid for

good un,"

d me so. He said he paid four

ht the steer without handin

hen the warm weather came they went into camp down on the lower Sacramento. They had enough to do, hunting deer a

he sa

some other men who were with him told me, and they

od un, too,"

come out. The priests wanted some of Mr. Young's men to get the runaways. Of course the men said they would, and they said right away that Kit would have to be their lea

ad a fight

they

e redskins

en were angrier to have their horses stolen than they were to have some of the men shot. They were mad through and through, and pretty soon twelve of them, with Kit Carson at their head, started after the thieves.

shot every one of

ithout stopping a minute, Kit called to his men, and they started straight for

use Kit Carson chased them int

re lucky to find some one who bought all their beaver skins. When the summer was over they all started back home, but they kept t

somebody to tell

g anything different from the rest of them, but Kit Carson isn't the kind of a man that could ev

nk I must try to see him some time

riously. "I told you he

e arm, and as he clinched his hand Reuben was almost conv

ed to the defile in the distance. "There I hav

e got to f

d packed his belongings on the backs of his ponies, bade far

nd bridle. His pony was dead, but he was hopeful that soon he wou