The Boy Hunters | Page 9

no doubt, because some former fire
had burned down the underwood in that direction. The fan-like leaves
of palmettos and yuccas growing all around, gave a southern and
tropical aspect to the scene.
The young hunters had halted nearly two hours before sunset, in order
to give time to prepare their night-camp. About half-an-hour after their
halt, the little glade presented a picture somewhat as follows:--Near its
edge stood a small canvas tent, like a white cone or pyramid. The fly,
or opening, was thrown back, for the evening was fine, and there was
no one inside. A little to one side of the tent lay three saddles upon the
grass. They were of the Mexican fashion, with high pommel and cantle,
a "horn" in front, with a staple and ring firmly fastened in the wood of
the tree. There were several thongs of leather fastened to other rings
behind the cantle; but the stirrups were steel ones, and not those clumsy
blocks of wood which so much disfigure the Mexican saddle. Beside
the saddles was an odd-looking object. It resembled a gigantic book,
partly open, and set upon the opened edges. It was a pack-saddle, also
of Mexican fashion, and in that country called an "alpareja." It had a

strong leathern girth, with a breech-strap to keep it from running
forward upon the shoulders of the animal that might wear it. At a short
distance from the saddles, several blankets--red and green ones--with a
bear-skin and a couple of buffalo-robes, were lying upon the grass; and
on a branch overhead hung whips, bridles, water-gourds, and spurs.
Against the trunk of a tulip-tree, that towered over the tent, rested three
guns. Two of them were rifles, of which one was much longer than the
other: the third piece was a double-barrelled shot gun. Bullet-pouches
and powder-horns hung from the muzzles of all three, their straps being
suspended from the projecting ends of the rammers.
On the opposite or leeward side of the tent a fire was burning. It had
not been long kindled, and crackled as it blazed. You could easily have
told the strong red flame to be that of the shell-bark hickory--the best
firewood--though dry sticks of some lighter wood had been used to
kindle it. On each side of the fire a forked stick was stuck into the
ground, with the forks at the top; and on these rested a fresh cut sapling,
placed horizontally to serve as a crane. A two-gallon camp-kettle of
sheet-iron was suspended upon it and over the fire, and the water in the
kettle was just beginning to boil. Other utensils were strewed around.
There was a frying-pan, some tin cups, several small packages
containing flour, dried meat, and coffee; a coffee-pot of strong tin, a
small spade, and a light axe, with its curved hickory shaft.
These were the inanimate objects of the picture. Now for the animate.
First, then, were our heroes, the three Boy Hunters--Basil, Lucien,
Francois. Basil was engaged by the tent, driving in the pins; Lucien was
attending to the fire which he has just kindled; while Francois was
making the feathers fly out of a brace of wild pigeons he had shot on
the way. No two of the three were dressed alike. Basil was all
buckskin--except the cap, which was made from the skin of a raccoon,
with the ringed-tail hanging over his shoulders like a drooping plume.
He wore a hunting-shirt with fringed cape, handsomely ornamented
with beads. A belt fastened it around his waist, from which was
suspended his hunting-knife and sheath, with a small holster, out of
which peeped the shining butt of a pistol. He wore deerskin leggings

fringed down the seams, and mocassins upon his feet. His dress was
just that of a backwoods' hunter, except that his cotton under-garments
looked finer and cleaner, and altogether his hunting-shirt was more
tastefully embroidered than is common among professional hunters.
Lucien's dress was of a sky-blue colour. It consisted of a half-blouse,
half-hunting-shirt, of strong cottonade, with trousers of the same
material. He had laced buskins on his feet, and a broad-brimmed
Panama hat on his head. Lucien's dress was somewhat more civilised in
its appearance than that of his elder brother. Like him though he had a
leather belt, with a sheath and knife on one side; and, instead of a pistol,
a small tomahawk on the other. Not that Lucien had set out with the
intention of tomahawking anybody. No; he carried his little hatchet for
cracking rocks, not skulls. Lucien's was a geological tomahawk.
Francois was still in roundabout jacket with trousers. He wore leggings
over his trousers, and mocassins upon his feet, with a cloth cap set
jauntily over his luxuriant curls. He, too, was belted with hunting-knife
and sheath,