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Show 310 INDIAN DEPREDATIONS fifty yards distant, where I received a moment's scare. On the opposite side of the creek some wil-lows had been cut down and fire had been through them. One willow about the size of a gun barrel had been blackened by smoke so that it looked bright, and lay in such a position that it pointed right at my head. I thought that if I did not drop this instant, I would be shot. As I squatted to the ground I saw what it was. I obtained the water and let Miller drink out of my hat, after which we held consulta-tion and decided to make a litter of four small poles and a pair of Higbee's blankets, using a pair of overalls belonging to me for strings to lash it to-gether. Gledhill was sent to the house after a bucket, blankets and overalls. When he returned he was sent upon an elevation to guard against a sur-prise by Indians. The Spring City men made the litter while Hig-bee and I followed the trail of the Indians to learn if possible, where they had gone. We were armed with good " Henry " rifles, and followed the trail to the mouth of Cedar Creek canyon, about two miles, where the Indians had gone up a wide hol-low with large oak brush on both sides. I told Higbee that I was going there, as it gave the Indians too good a chance to ambush us without our get-ting a chance at them. He then said that he would go alone, and went on. I went onto a ridge where I could look around and could see no Indians, but saw one of Miller's mules feeding a short distance north with the harness on. I feared it might have been left there for a decoy to get us into a trap, but as the mule was feeding contentedly, I concluded |