Within a week from the time of leaving Soldier Creek, Eben Jordan
was indeed puffed up with pride. He came into camp late one afternoon
dragging behind him an antelope which he had shot within two miles of
where we halted an hour previous. This proof that he had shown himself
a skillful hunter, caused the boy literally to swell with joy as he
strutted around the body of the beautiful animal while our people were
looking at it.
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It seemed too bad to kill such an innocent creature as that antelope,
and yet I forgot all the cruelty of it when Eben brought to our
wagon enough steaks to provide all of us with a slice of fresh meat.
Afterward it seemed to me much as if we had been cannibals when we so
eagerly devoured the handsome animal.
From that day on, whenever we made camp before dark, Eben went out
with his rifle, and more than once he brought in a deer of some kind,
dividing the meat generously and fairly among us all.