ckly.

The half-breed here referred to a habit of the hunters, who carry
several bullets in their mouths to facilitate loading while running at
full speed. The method is simple. The hunter merely pours powder into
his left palm, transfers it to his gun, drops a bullet from his mouth
into the muzzle, hits the butt smartly on his pommel, which at once
sends the charge home and forces priming into the pan, and thus is ready
for another shot.

Victor, having forgotten all about this, immediately put three bullets
into his mouth, his gun being already loaded.

"Don't swallow them!" said Ian.

"Swallow your own advice," growled Victor.

"Start!" shouted Captain Warder.

The welcome signal sent an electric thrill along the line. It was
promptly obeyed, first at a slow trot, then at a hard gallop. The low
rumbling thunder of their tramp was in keeping with the wild eager looks
of the half-savage hunters. They had approached to within four or five
hundred yards before the buffalo-bulls curved their tails into marks of
interrogation and began to paw the ground. Another moment, and the
mighty herd took to flight. Then the huntsmen let loose their eager
steeds. As squadrons of dragoons charge into the thick of battle, these
wild fellows bore down with grand momentum on the buffalo bands. The
very earth seemed to tremble when they charged, but when the herd sprang
away in the frenzy of terror it was as though a shock of earthquake had
riven the plains. Right into the careering mass the horsemen rushed.
Shots began--here, there, and everywhere, until a rattle of musketry
filled the air, while smoke, dust, shouts, and bellowing added to the
wild confusion. The fattest animals were selected, and in an incredibly
short space of time a thousand of their carcasses strewed the plain.

The men who were best mounted of course darted forward in advance and
secured the fattest cows. They seldom dropped a mark to identify their
property. These hunters possess a power of distinguishing the animals
they have slain during a hot and long ride, which amounts almost to an
instinct--even though they may have killed from ten to twelve animals.
An experienced hunter on a good horse will perform such a feat during
one race. He seldom fires till within three or four yards of his prey,
and never misses. A well-trained horse, the moment it hears the shot,
springs on one side to avoid stumbling over the buffalo. An awkward or
shy hors