The hunters of the party went
forward a mile or two in advance, and scattered through the woods.
After them came the advance-guard, being the bravest and most stalwart
of the men mounted on their best steeds, and with rifle in hand;
immediately behind followed the women and children, also mounted, and
the pack-horses with the goods and camp equipage. Another band of
trappers formed the rear-guard to this imposing cavalcade. There was
no strict regimental order kept, but the people soon came to adopt the
arrangements that were most convenient for all parties, and at length
fell naturally into their places in the line of march.
Joe Blunt usually was the foremost and always the most successful of
the hunters. He was therefore seldom seen on the march except at the
hour of starting, and at night when he came back leading his horse,
which always groaned under its heavy load of meat. Henri, being a
hearty, jovial soul and fond of society, usually kept with the main
body. As for Dick, he was everywhere at once, at least as much so as
it is possible for human nature to be! His horse never wearied; it
seemed to delight in going at full speed; no other horse in the troop
could come near Charlie, and Dick indulged him by appearing now at
the front, now at the rear, anon in the centre, and frequently
_nowhere_!--having gone off with Crusoe like a flash of lightning
after a buffalo or a deer.
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