He waited patiently, until,
as he expected, he heard a corner of one of the buffalo
hides turned up, and beheld reflected, against the
back-ground of light, thus suddenly introduced, the upper
part of a human being, whose shorn head, covered on the
crown with straight and slightly streaming feathers, too
plainly indicated his purpose. What a target for the
bullet--what an object for the bayonet of the soldier,
who, had not prudence and coolness interposed, had
certainly used one or the other. But the Virginian had
hit upon another, and as he conceived, a better plan to
get rid of his enemy, and in his fate, of further probable
annoyance from his ferocious companions. It was not his
object to let himself be seen, or that the Indians should
even suspect that they had been detected in this new
device, for he was well aware that if he fired, or used
his bayonet against the man, those below would rush up
the ladder to succeed him, and by their weight prevent
the accomplishment of what he had in view; therefore cut
off as he in a measure was, from his party, it was
incumbent on him to adopt the only sure means of relief
from danger, and that without a moment of delay.
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