ing his rider
and holding him on the ground by his weight. This happened as he was
passing a point of rocks. Six of the warriors, seeing the accident,
instantly hurried forward to take Cotton's scalp. But Kit Carson's
eagle eye was watching every part of the battle-field and discovered,
in time to be of service, the danger to which his friend was exposed.
Although some distance off, Kit sprang from his saddle, and, with
the leap of an antelope and the rallying cry for his men, was on the
ground, ready to make a certain shot. His aim and the crack of his
rifle almost belonged to the same instant of time. It was none the
less sure. The foremost warrior, a powerful savage, whose fingers
evidently itched for the scalp of the mountaineer, fell, shot through
the heart. By this time others had followed the bold example of their
leader, when the five remaining warriors, seeing the imminent danger
which threatened them, turned to run back into their band. But two of
them however reached a place of safety. The remainder, caught in
their fleet career by the unerring and death-dealing bullets of the
mountaineers, measured their lengths upon the battle-ground, stricken
with wounds which demanded and received from them their last wild
war-whoop.

[Illustration: Kit Carson's eagle eye was watching every part of the
battle-field and discovered, in time to be of service, the danger to
which his friend was exposed. Although some distance off, Kit sprang
from his saddle, and, with the leap of an antelope and the rallying
cry for his men, was on the ground ready to make a certain shot.--PAGE
120.]

When Kit Carson fired, his horse, being under no restraint, became
frightened and dashed away, leaving his brave rider on foot. Kit
however instantly comprehended his position. The fallen horseman had
succeeded in extricating himself, but not without difficulty, for
the ground was very uneven. He had received a few pretty severe
contusions, but was, notwithstanding these, worth a dozen Indians yet,
and failed not to show the fact. Seeing Cotton thus all right, Kit
Carson made his way to one of his companions, and, as the fighting
had, apparently by mutual consent, ceased for a few moments, mounted
up behind him and thus rejoined the main body of his men. The runaway
horse, after quite a chase, was soon captured by a trapper and
returned to his captain. A period of inactivity now reigned over the
battle-field, each party apparently waiting for