You can gamble I don't lose no time in arguin' the question, but accepts the lance with all that it implies.

Bringin' the weepon to a 'Right Shoulder' an' with my mind relieved, I gives the word to my mule-skinner--who's onconscious of the transactions in life an' death goin' on behind his back--an' with that, we-all takes up our march an' soon comes up on the escort where it's ag'in fixed firm in the snow about a furlong to the fore.

My savages follows along with me, an' each of 'em as grave as squinch owls an' tame as tabby cats.
"'Joke?
no; them Apaches was as hostile as Gila monsters! But beholdin' me, as they regyards it--for they don't in their ontaught simplicity make allowance for me bein' implanted in the snow, gunless an' he'pless--so brave, awaitin' deestruction without a quiver, their admiration mounts to sech heights it drowns within 'em every thought of cancellin' me with that lance, an' tharupon they pays me their savage compliments in manner an' form deescribed.

They don't regyard themse'fs as surrenderin' neither; they esteems passin' me the lance as inauguratin' a armistice an' looks on themse'fs as guests of honor an' onder my safegyard, free to say "How!" an' vamos back to the warpath ag'in whenever the sperit of blood begins to stir within their breasts.
I knows enough of their ways to be posted as to what they expects; an' bein', I hopes, a gent of integrity, I accedes to 'em that exact status which they believes they enjoys.
"'They travels with me that day, eats with me that evenin' when we makes our camp, has a drink with me all 'round, sings savage hymns to me throughout the night, loads up with chuck in the mornin', offers me no end of flattery as a dead game gent whom they respects, says _adios_; an' then they scatters like a flock of quail.

Also, havin' resoomed business on old-time lines, they takes divers shots at us with their Winchesters doorin' the next two days, an' kills a hoss an' creases my sergeant.