again, and it required a great
effort of the will to keep them quiet. The black shadows were
approaching. They had passed over a stretch of rough ground that he had
marked four or five minutes before, and the outlines of the figures were
growing more distinct. He chose one on the extreme right for his aim. He
could not yet see his features, of course, but he was quite certain that
they were ugly and that the man was a warrior wicked beyond belief.
Before he could fire upon anyone from ambush it was necessary for him to
believe the man at whom he aimed to be utterly depraved, and the
situation created at once such a belief in his mind.

He kept his eye steadily upon the ugly and wicked warrior, and as he
watched for his chance and awaited the word from Boyd all scruples about
firing disappeared from his mind. It was that warrior's life or his, and
the law of self-preservation controlled. Nearer and yet nearer they came
and the time had grown interminable when the hunter suddenly said in a
low voice:

"Fire!"

Young Clarke pulled the trigger with a sure aim. He saw the hideous
warrior draw himself into a bunch that sprang convulsively upward, but
which, when it fell, lay back, outspread and quiet. Then he fired at a
second figure, but he was not sure that he hit. The hunter and the
Little Giant were already sending in their third and fourth bullets,
with deadly aim, Will was sure, and the Sioux, after one mighty yell,
wrenched from them by rage, surprise and fear, were fleeing down the
pass under the fierce hail from the repeating rifles.

In a half minute all the shadows, save those outlined darkly on the
ground, were gone, and there was complete and utter silence, while the
light smoke from the rifles drifted about aimlessly, there being no
wind. The three did not speak, but slipping in fresh cartridges
continued to gaze down the pass. Then Will heard a wild, shrill scream
behind him that made him leap a foot from the ground, and that set all
his nerves trembling. The next moment he was laughing at himself. One of
the horses had neighed in terror at the firing, and there are few things
more terrifying than the terrified shriek of a horse.

"Maybe you'd better go back and see 'em, Will," said Boyd. "They may
need quieting. I've noticed that you've a gentle hand with horses, and
that they like you."

"And mules too," said the Little Giant. "Mine hev already taken a fancy
for young William. But mules are much abuse