“So I jest set my teeth, and stood the pain the best I was able.  After a while, they got tired of the fun, and quit; but you never see such a lookin’ chap as I was when they got through.  Why, there wasn’t a spot on me as big as a five-cent piece, that didn’t show some kind of a mark.  I thought I had a pretty hard time in some of my travels, before, but t’warn’t no tetch ter that Comanche village.  I was sore for a month after it.”

“Arter they’d got through with their fun, they set me to work and kept me at it, till I finally got away from ’em; though they treated me well enough after the first few days.  When I got into Phantom Hill, the officers there told me, that they treated me as they always did all their prisoners.  I had enough to eat, such as it was, and hain’t no complaints to make on that score.  They had two Mexican women who were prisoners there, and old Tabba-ken himself had married one of ’em.”

“Do they have any particular ceremonies, when they start on the war-path, Tom?” asked I.

“I saw one party start out ter fight the Arapahoes; and I see ’em come back, too,” replied Tom.

“One morning I see that a lot of the braves took their bows and arrows, and placed ’em on the east side of their lodges.  They was all ornamented and fixed, and set where the sun’s first rays should fall on ’em.  That night a lot of the squaws commenced going around through the village, singing their war-songs, and making a great noise.  They kept it up for three nights, so that I couldn’t sleep a wink; and I asked one of the Mexican women what it all meant.  She told me, that it was a war-party, getting ready for an expedition.

“I’d suspected as much, when I see the braves a-cavortin’ around so lively on their horses, and makin’ such a fuss as they did.

“She said, that they worshipped the sun, and their weapons was set out there for the sun to bless, and give them good luck against their enemies.  They kept up these doin’s for four or five days, and then they had a grand war-dance; and the next morning at sunrise (they always start on an expedition just at sunrise) a party of twenty braves, started off to the north.”

“Do they make the squaws work, like the other Indian tribes, Tom?” asked Ned.

“Yes!  Injuns is Injuns, wherever you find ’em,” answered Tom.  “The squaws allers do the hard work, and the men the heavy layin’ round and talkin’.”

“Oh! be gorra; don’t I wish I was a Injin,” exclaimed Patsey.

“Well,” continued Tom, “after I’d been with ’em a couple of months or so, they kind er got a notion that I didn’t care much about gittin’ away, and didn’t keep a very strict watch over me; so, one night, when I see Carline (that was my old rifle) lyin’ by one of the lodges, I made up my mind to scoot.  They was havin’ a big time that night, gittin’ ready for another expedition, and I knew they’d be putty busy.  As soon as ’twas dark, I picked up the rifle, and, kind er slowly, made my way down ter where their critters was feedin’, and picked out the best hoss of the lot, put a saddle on him, and started down the river towards the fort at Phantom Hill.  ’Twas a good hundred miles away; but I made up my mind I’d fetch it, if nothin’ happened.