They had not been long at this game, when a couple of fine watch-dogs which were in the camp, guarding the baggage, gave the alarm, and the whole party was on the alert, with sharp eye and cocked rifle.  They commenced a survey, and at some distance could hear the tread of horsemen, seemingly on the approach.  The banditti, of which we have already spoken, were well known to the emigrant, and he had already to complain of divers injuries at their hands.  It is not, therefore, matter of surprise, that he should place his sentinels, and prepare even for the most audacious attack.

He had scarcely made this disposition of his forces, which exhibited them to the best advantage, when the strangers made their appearance.  They rode cautiously around, without approaching the defences sufficiently nigh to occasion strife, but evidently having for their object originally an attack upon the wayfarer.  At length, one of the party, which consisted of six persons, now came forward, and, with a friendly tone of voice, bade them good-evening in a manner which seemed to indicate a desire to be upon a footing of the most amiable sort with them.  The old man answered dryly, with some show of sarcastic indifference in his speech—­

“Ay, good evening enough, if the moon had not gone down, and if the stars were out, that we might pick out the honest men from the rogues.”

“What, are there rogues in these parts, then, old gentleman?” asked the new-comer.

“Why do you ask me?” was the sturdy reply.  “You ought to be able to say, without going farther than your own pockets.”

“Why, you are tough to-night, my old buck,” was the somewhat crabbed speech of the visiter.

“You’ll find me troublesome, too, Mr. Nightwalker:  so take good counsel, and be off while you’ve whole bones, or I’ll tumble you now in half a minute from your crittur, and give you a sharp supper of pine-knots.”

“Well, that wouldn’t be altogether kind on your part, old fellow, and I mightn’t be willing to let you; but, as you seem not disposed to be civil, I suppose the best thing I can do is to be off.”

“Ay, ay, be off.  You get nothing out of us; and we’ve no shot that we want to throw away.  Leave you alone, and Jack Ketch will save us shot.”

“Ha, ha!” exclaimed the outlier, in concert, and from the deeper emphasis which he gave it, in chorus to the laughter which followed, among the party, the dry expression of the old man’s humor—­

“Ha, ha! old boy—­you have the swing of it to-night,” continued the visiter, as he rode off to his companions; “but, if you don’t mind, we shall smoke you before you get into Alabam!”

The robber rejoined his companions, and a sort of council for deliberation was determined upon among them.

“How now, Lambert! you have been at dead fault,” was his sudden address, as he returned, to one of the party.  “You assured me that old Snell and his two sons were the whole force that he carried, while I find two stout, able-bodied men besides, all well armed, and ready for the attack.  The old woman, too, standing with the gridiron in her fists, is equal of herself to any two men, hand to hand.”