As we were on our way, Boucharville exclaimed,
alluding to our companion, " N'est-ce pas une chose
terrible quand un homme a peur comme 9a ! " but
it was constitutional with him. Boucharville related
to me a characteristic anecdote of him while we
were cooking our supper. " Souviens-tu, Paquenode,
lorsque les Sioux sont venus en guerre centre les
Grosventres la-bas au Fort de Monsieur Chardon ? "



248 RAMBLES AND ADVENTUKES. [chap. x.
(t. e. the Minitaree Fort.) " Ah ! laisse-moi done
tranquille ! " replied poor Paquenode, who felt that he
was being roasted as well as the supper. I insisted,
however, on knowing the whole story, whereupon
Boucharville, in spite of Paquenode's numerous
interruptions, informed me, that on the occasion
alluded to, the Sioux had come in a war-party
against the Minitarees and an excellent battle was
fought — a much better one than usually takes place
between hostile Indians — in which the Minitarees
were victorious. When the period of rejoicing
arrived, which invariably succeeds an Indian
victory, Paquenode, whom nobody had noticed
during the tumult of the engagement, was to b©
seen in the midst of the revellers, the gayest of
the gay and the bravest of the brave, recounting
his mighty deeds of the morning in true Indian
style. It was observed as rather strange, however,
that a good deal of dried mud was sticking about
the collar and shoulders of his blue capote.
