PTER XXXIV.

THE FLANK MOVEMENT.

It was singular that the youngest member of the cattlemen should make an
important discovery, which not only escaped them, but, as subsequent
events proved, was not noticed, or at least did not receive due
attention from the Comanches themselves.

Avon Burnet, from his place on the crest of elevation, was watching the
interview between Gleeson and the two red men, when he awoke to the fact
that the ridge joined and formed a part of the hills among which the
Comanches had taken refuge. That is to say, one had only to follow the
former to reach the broken swell containing the warriors and their
prisoner.

If such a ride were made along the right slope, the person must be in
plain sight of the Indians; if along the crest, he would be visible to
those on the right and left, and, if along the left slope, the cowboys
could see him while he would not be perceived by the red men themselves,
unless they were on the watch.

These facts were apparent to Avon at the first sweeping glance he cast
to the eastward. He wondered that they escaped the notice of his
friends, but this was probably due to their attention being diverted for
the time by the cattle, and because, too, of their disposition to wait
the report of Gleeson before deciding upon their course of action.

The thought instantly came to Avon that if the cowboys would make a
sudden break along the base of the slope to the left, they could reach
the rear of the Comanches, always provided the latter had taken no
precautions against such a flank movement. The plan of campaign was so
inviting that he could hardly believe it had been overlooked by the red
men. At any rate, before urging his friends to adopt it, he decided to
make a little investigation on his own account, especially as he
believed sufficient time was at command.

Riding, therefore, to the bottom of the slope, he spurred Thunderbolt
to a sharp gait, and quickly covered the intervening space, which was
hardly a fourth of a mile. His mustang showed no ill effects from the
slight wounds received during the sharp scrimmage some time before.

Avon was well aware of the risk he ran, for, if the Comanches were
maintaining guard, they could readily pick him off before he could
withdraw or adopt the least precaution, but he did not hesitate. When
the ground became more broken, he urged his pony a short way among the
hills, and then dismounted. He did this, because he wished to