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Chapter 32
"Youareayoungman,major,"saidthescout,droppingthebuttof"Killdeer"totheearth,andleaningonthebarrel,alittlefatiguedwithhispreviousindustry;"anditmaybeyourgifttoleadarmiesatsomefuturedayag’intheseimpstheMingos,YoumayhereseethephilosophyofanIndianfight.Itconsistsmainlyinareadyhand,aquickeye,andagoodcover.Now,ifyouhadacompanyoftheRoyalAmericanshere,inwhatmannerwouldyousetthemtoworkinthisbusiness?"
"Thebayonetwouldmakearoad."
"Ay,thereiswhitereasoninwhatyousay;butamanmustaskhimself,inthiswilderness,howmanyliveshecanspare.No—horse,"continuedthescout,shakinghishead,likeonewhomused;"horse,Iamashamedtosay,must,soonerorlater,decidethesescrimmages.Thebrutesarebetterthanmen,andtohorsemustwecomeatlast.Putashoddenhoofonthemoccasinofaredskin;andifhisriflebeonceemptied,hewillneverstoptoloaditagain."
"Thisisasubjectthatmightbetterbediscussedatanothertime,"returnedHeyward;"shallwecharge?"
"Iseenocontradictiontothegiftsofanyman,inpassinghisbreathingspellsinusefulreflections,"thescoutreplied."Astoarush,Ilittlerelishsuchameasure;forascalportwomustbethrownawayintheattempt.