ce of
savage warfare he had never seen the evidence of a deadly skirmish
terminate in a peacefully tied-up horse.

While he and his companions were still bending cautiously forward and
peering around, the hoot of an owl was heard in the air. Eaglenose
looked up with inquiring gaze, but his chief's more practised ear at
once understood it. He stood erect, stuck his weapons into his belt,
and, with a look of great satisfaction, repeated the cry.

Moonlight responded, and at once ran down to him with a merry laugh. Of
course there was a good deal of greeting and gratulation, for even
Indians become demonstrative at times, and Moonlight had much of
importance to tell.

But now an unforeseen difficulty came in the way of the bloody-minded
Bullers. In the group which had been formed by the friendly evolutions
of their foes, the women chanced to have placed themselves exactly
between them and the men, thus rendering it difficult to shoot the
latter without great risk of injury, if not death, to the former, for
none of them felt sufficiently expert to emulate William Tell.

In these circumstances it occurred to them, being courageous braves,
that four men were more than a match for two, and that therefore it
would be safer and equally effective to make a united rush, and brain
their enemies as they stood.

No sooner conceived than acted on. Dispensing with the usual yell on
this occasion, they drew their knives and tomahawks, and made a
tremendous rush. But they had reckoned too confidently, and suffered
the inevitable disgrace of bafflement that awaits those who underrate
the powers of women. So sudden was the onset that Rushing River had not
time to draw and properly use his weapons, but old Umqua, with the speed
of light, flung herself on hands and knees in front of the leading
Buller, who plunged over her, and drove his head against a tree with
such force that he remained there prone and motionless. Thus the chief
was so far ready with his tomahawk that a hastily-delivered blow sent
the flat of it down on the skull of the succeeding savage, and, in
sporting language, dropped him. Thus only two opponents were left, of
whom Eaglenose choked one and his chief felled the other.

In ordinary circumstances the victors would first have stabbed and then
scalped their foes, but we have pointed out that the spirit of our chief
had been changed. He warned Eaglenose not to kill. With his assistance
and that of the wom