; that's thar number."

"Wal," continued Garey, "thar's some difference atween us in point o'
pluck, I reckin; and what's wantin' in number we'll make up wi' our
rifles. I never valleys two to one wi' Injuns, an' a trifle throw'd in,
if ye like."

"Look at the ground, Bill! It's all plain. Whar would we be after a
volley? They'd have the advantage wi' their bows and lances. Wagh!
they could spear us to pieces thar!"

"I didn't say we could take them on the paraira. We kin foller them
till they're in the mountains, an' git them among the rocks. That's
what I advise."

"Ay. They can't run away from us with that drove. That's sartin."

"They have no notion of running away. They will most likely attack us."

"That's jest what we want," said Garey. "We kin go yonder, and fight
them till they've had a bellyful."

The trapper, as he spoke, pointed to the foot of the Mimbres, that lay
about ten miles off to the eastward.

"Maybe they'll wait till more comes up. There's more of head chief's
party than these; there were nearly four hundred when they passed the
Pinon."

"Rube, where can the rest of them be?" demanded Seguin; "I can see down
to the mine, and they are not upon the plain."

"Ain't a-gwine to be, cap. Some luck in that, I reckin. The ole fool
has sent a party by t'other trail. On the wrong scent--them is."

"Why do you think they have gone by the other trail?"

"Why, cap, it stans for raison. If they wur a-comin' ahint, some o'
them niggurs on t'other side wud 'a gone back afore this to hurry 'em
up, do 'ee see? Thur hain't gone ne'er a one, as I seed."

"You are right, Rube," replied Seguin, encouraged by the probability of
what the other had asserted. "What do you advise us?" continued he,
appealing to the old trapper, whose counsel he was in the habit of
seeking in all cases of similar difficulty.

"Wal, cap, it's a twistified piece o' business as it stans; an' I hain't
figured it out to my satersfaction jest yet. If 'ee'll gi' me a kupple
o' minutes, I'll answer ye to the best o' my possibilities."

"Very well; we will wait for you. Men! look to your arms, and see that
they are all in readiness."

During this consultation, which had occupied but a few seconds of time,
we could see that the enemy was similarly employed on the other side.
They had drawn around their chief, and from their gesticulations it was
plain they were deliberating how they should act.

Our appearance,