José — page 97: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

90 JOSE. position,” said the latter, while a quiet smile stole over his weather-beaten countenance. “As to my name, they call me Old Bob, hereabouts, that is, among the whites at Fort Atkinson. The Indians call me by two or three names which you wouldn’t understand nohow, even if I told you. As for my business, it’s that of a hunter and trapper, though it’s poor picking, God knows, along the Arkansas, and I only stay there to please the commander of the fort who insists that I’m just the man for certain duties that are a little too much for the understanding of the Irish lads of his company. I started on a stroll down the Santa Fe trail a few days ago, and here you see me!” He nodded as if perfectly satisfied with his report, and complacently blew a dense cloud of smoke into the air. “Will you please inform us, Old Bob, if there is any truth in the report that the Indians in this vicinity are likely to give trouble?” Green asked, moving forward into the circle of the light. “I shall be glad to compensate you in any way I can for definite information on the subject.” The old fellow shrugged his shoulders. “You must have had some inkling of the state of affairs when you started, or you wouldn’t know so much about it now,” he replied; “but since you are here you must make the best of it.” “Can you advise us in any way what to do” asked Green, with a touch of alarm. “Old Bob was never much of a successful adviser among the whites!” replied the stranger, with a peculiar smile; “but if I had charge of this train I would march by night and go into camp after sun- up. The Comanche generally attacks in broad day- Gomicbooks. co m