l ground. The going grew rougher. Baxter's horse
slipped and lamed his right fore leg. Henney's saddle turned, and more
valuable time was lost. All the men drew their rifles. At every dip
of ground they expected to come to a break that would make a stand
inevitable.

From one point on the ridge they had a good view of the troops.

"Signal!" ordered the chief.

They yelled and shot and waved hats and scarfs. No use--the soldiers
kept moving on at a snail pace far below.

"On--down the ridge!" was the order.

"Wal, General, thet looks bad to me," objected the scout. Red King
shoved his lean, brown hand between them. There was a flame in his
flashing, blue glance as it swept the slowly descending ridge.

"Judgin' the lay of land is my job," he said, in his cool way. "We'll
git down heah or not at all."

Neale was sore, lame, and angry as well. He kept gazing across at the
Sioux. "Let's stop--and fight," he panted. "We can--whip--that bunch."

"We may have to fight, but not yet," replied the chief. "Come on."

They scrambled on over rocky places, up and down steep banks. Here and
there were stretches where it was possible to ride, and over these they
made better time. The Indians fell out of sight under the side of the
ridge, and this fact was disquieting, for no one could tell how soon
they would show up again or in what quarter. This spurred the men to
sterner efforts.

Meanwhile the sun was setting and the predicament of the engineers grew
more serious. A shout from Neale, who held up the rear, warned all
that the Indians had scaled the ridge behind them and now were in
straightaway pursuit. Thereupon General Lodge ordered his men to face
about with rifles ready. This move checked the Sioux. They halted out of
range.

"They're waitin' fer dark to set in," said the scout.

"Come on! We'll get away yet," said the chief, grimly. They went on, and
darkness began to fall about them. This increased both the difficulty
and the danger. On the other hand, it enabled them to try and signal the
troops with fire. One of them would hurry ahead and build a fire while
the others held back to check the Indians if they appeared. And at
length their signals were answered by the troops. Thus encouraged, the
little band of desperate men plunged on down the slope. And just when
night set in black--the fateful hour that would have precipitated the
Indian attack--the troops met the engineers on the slope. The Indians
faded away