Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-07-21

iePiy W thiS ne animated that they
might sleep under the wagon, then
turning he made an effort to climb in.
but my brother who was standing near
caught him by the hair and jerked
him over backward ON the tongue of
the wagon, then taking after him with
his cane he chased him into the brush.
The cunning of Digger, or Tie-up, was
apparent At glance. Hal he got
into the wagon, both guns, two axes
and the butcher knife would have
been in his possession, while we would
have been outside, unarmed. Yet the
sIgnt OF that Digger wriggling off on
his hands and knees with the speed of
sage swift, my brother pursuing,
bare-headed, at the top OF his speed,
whscking with his cane, with all the
concentrated vim that was in him, at
the rump of that poor. retreating
Swish, and missing it every pop, was
sight that would have excited the risi.
bles of the most sedate, under any
circumstances. Trusting that we were
now rid of the open annoyance of our
beggarly Tie-up friend, we made our
arrangements for the night. My
brother was to stand guard till mid.
night, was to stand the remainder of
the night. / left the cattle lying in
the creek bottom about twenty feet
from and twelve feet lower than the
wagon. When my brother called me
me up and crawled into bed l could
hear no creaking Of the bell, so ran
down to see what was wrong. found
that the cattle were gone and no sound
of the bell to be heard, 50 l ran back,
called my brother up again, got my
gun and started. l struck out ON as
fast gait as ! was able to keep up for
long distance. After going about
two miles and hearing no sound Of the
bell, saw that the creek made almost
an ox-bow bend, so struck across,
hoping to hear or come in hearing of
them. When l got to the opposite
point OF the bend, l had the satisfac-
ton of hearing the bell, sounding as if
the cattle were coming on the run, so
hurried down to the brush and waited
till they came up. then called the
leader by name, aud tried to turn
them back, but they took bee.line to
the wagon. 1 neither saw nor heard
the Indian till l got within about
twenty PAGES Of the wagon. He then
came up and passing on the off side
went to the fire and sat down a. com.
posedly rs If he was entirely uncon-
scious Of any wrong'doing on his part.
This was entirely too much, l saw that
he did not intend to be scared away,
so resolved to come to the last re.
sort, but he was too quick for me, be-
fore l could take dead-sure aim he
was concealed in the willows. Still
about sunrise, when the guns were
safely stored away, he had the audac-
| ity to come about the fire and even
commenced his Tie-uping again. He
was more sly, however, and much less
persistent than he had been. He,
however, had the face to ask to travel
with us. This time he counted thirty
eight sleeps. Getting a decided shake
Of the head and motion to 60 back
he begged no more. and but sat like
an Indian intently studying the hid.
den mysteries of the burning embers.
We packed up and left him to enjoy
his sullen reflections alone; but he
knew the windings and cut-offs of the
road, and was up with us when we
least looked for him. He again tried
to throw his robe into the wagon, hut
WAS foiled and driven of. When we
made fire at noon, the Digger was
again on hand. This time he placed q
hOrned.to on stick and stuck it in
the sand SO that it leaned over the fire
in close proximity to the victuals. My
brother gave it back wipe with his
cane and sent it whirling off into the
sage.brush. He then took after the
Indian hobo, and made him take q
back seat as respectable distance.
When l returned from watering the
team at noon 1 settled the question of
further annoyance about the camp
fire with him. He, however, passed
and came into the road ahead of us
sometime during the afternoon. We
saw his track about half past three and
soon after he raised smoke as q sig
nal for help which was answered on
the hills ahead. Again in about half
On hour, he raised another, which was
answered i'll the same place. One
smoke denoted one wagon, and of
course gave an idea of the amount of
help required. That night we very
imprudently drove till after dark. A
slight accident admonished us that it
was best to stop. Accordingly when
we reached the level at the bank of a
small creek, we uDyoked and turned
the cattle out to Craze; but no sooner
was this done than the Indians, who
were waiting, started them off on a
trot. My brother, cane in hand, took
after them. For time it seemed as
if they were gone, but as I drew my
gun out Of the wagon there was a halt.
My brother who had kept the road
while the cattle were in the sage
brush, had headed them. The sound
of the bell indicated that they were
coming back, quietly at first but it
soon increased to run. With all the
effort l could make failed to stop or
even check them at the wagon. On
they went at bresk-neck speed, gain
ing on me at every jump. As l was
tearing through sage brush in the
dark, l could not make as rapid pro-
gress as was desirable under the cir
cumstances. recollected that we
had crossed . larger creek a short