red calmly watched the approach of
the dusky horsemen, he was observant of the smallest things. He recalled
that they were the same in number as the party which he and Terry so
narrowly missed the night before on the edge of the stream and he half
suspected they were the same, though such supposition did not correspond
with the theories formed and accepted at the time.

He saw the middle horse, which was darker in color than the others,
slightly stumble; then the rider turned his head and said something to
the warrior on his left, who made answer without taking his eyes from
Fred; then the one on the right said something, his painted features
relaxing into a frightful grin, the guttural words being plainly
audible: all these points being noticed, as I have said, by the young
hunter who had so much more important matters to engage his thoughts.

He recalled with relief that on picking up the gun of Terry he had
reloaded it, so that he now had two weapons ready for use. With these he
could make a brave resistance, and you may depend upon it that the last
thing he thought of doing was to surrender. He might easily be shot
down where he stood, but he would die fighting.

The three horsemen advanced with the same deliberate pace, their black
eyes fixed upon Fred, who stood erect, looking straight at them. When
they were within twenty yards, he quietly turned so as to face the other
way, and waved his cap several times over his head. At the same moment
he uttered a resounding whoop, replaced his cap, laid Terry's rifle at
his feet and leveled his own at the amazed savages, who could not have
suspected what was coming.

You understand that the purpose of Fred was to make the Winnebagos
believe that he had friends on the edge of the wood behind him to whom
he had signaled. The act of laying down his gun was to give the
impression that he was so sure of support that he was ready to fight
until it should appear.

Now, the red men might have been deceived by this to as full an extent
as the youth desired, but the fact remained that, even if there were
re-enforcements on the margin of the prairie, they were so far off that
they could give no help if the Indians chose to assail the boy. I am
inclined to think that had the Winnebagos believed that a dozen white
hunters were encamped there, they would not have been restrained from
carrying out their design by such fact: but when the cool defiance of
the youth was added to the sam