spring up and rush
us."

"I reckon that's jest 'bout thar game, but them glasses o' young
William's hev done give them away already. The Sioux hev fixed
everythin' mighty careful, an' jest one thing that chance hez give us,
young William's glasses, is goin' to upset 'em. Take a look, Jim."

"I can see 'em, so many dark spots moving, always moving up the pass
and making no noise at all. Now, Will, you look, and after that we'll
make ready with the rifles."

Will through the glasses saw them quite plainly now, more than a score
of dark figures, advancing slowly but quite steadily. He threw the
glasses over his shoulder and took up his rifle with both hands.

"Not yet, young William," said the Little Giant. "We don't want to waste
any bullets, and so we'll wait until Jim gives the word. Ev'ry army
needs a leader. Thar ain't but three in this army, but it hez to hev a
leader jest the same and Jim Boyd is the man."

Will waited motionless, but he could not keep his heart from beating
hard, as the Sioux, ruthless and bold, came forward silently to the
attack. He did not have the infinite wilderness experience of the older
two which had hardened them to every form of danger, and his imagination
was alive and leaping. The dusky forms which he could now faintly see
with the naked eye were increased by fancy threefold and four, and his
eager finger slipped to the trigger of his rifle. He was sure they ought
to fire now. The Sioux were certainly near enough! If they came any
closer before meeting the bullets of the defense they would have a good
chance to spring up and make a victorious rush. But the word to fire did
not come. He glanced at their leader, and Boyd was still calmly
watching.

The three lay very close together, and Will heard the hunter whisper to
the Little Giant:

"How much nearer do you think I ought to let 'em come, Tom?"

"'Bout ten feet more, I reckon, Jim. Then though it's night, thar would
be no chance fur a feller to miss, onless he shet his eyes, an' we want
all our bullets to hit. Indians, even the bravest, don't like to rush
riflemen that are ez good ez a batt'ry. Ef we strike 'em mighty hard the
first time they'll fall back on tricks an' waitin'."

"Good sound reasoning, Tom. You hear, Will. Be sure you don't miss."

"I won't," replied the lad. Nevertheless those ten minutes, every one of
them, had a way of spinning themselves out in such an extraordinary
manner that his nerves began to jump