en in that moment of excitement and danger, to
pick up Albert's rifle also. Strong as he naturally was, he had
then the strength of four, and, turning off at a sharp angle, he
ran with Albert toward a dense thicket which clustered at the
foot of the mountain wall.

He went a full three hundred yards before he was conscious of
weariness, and he was then at the edge of the thicket, which
spread over a wide space. He laid Albert down on some of last
year's old leaves, and then his quick eyes caught the sight of a
little pool among some rocks. He dipped up the water in his felt
hat, and after carefully wiping the red stain from his brother's
lips, poured the cold fluid upon his face.

Albert revived, sat up, and tried to speak, but Dick pressed his
hand upon his mouth.

"Nothing above a whisper, Al," he said softly. "The fight is not
yet wholly over, and the Sioux are all about."

"I fainted," said Albert in a whisper. "O Dick, what a
miserable, useless fellow I am! But it was the excitement and
the run!"

"It was doubtless a lucky thing that you fainted," Dick whispered
back. "If you hadn't, both of us would probably be dead now."

"It's not all over yet," said Albert.

"No, but it soon will be. Thank God, we've got our rifles. Do
you feel strong enough to walk now, Al? The deeper we get into
the thicket the better it will be for us."

Albert rose slowly to his feet, rocked a little, and then stood
straight.

Only a few flashes were appearing now in the pass. Dick knew too
well who had been victorious. The battle over, the Sioux would
presently be ranging for stragglers and for plunder. He put one
arm under Albert, while he carried both of the rifles himself.
They walked on through the thicket and the night gradually
darkened. The silvery quality was gone from the air, and the two
boys were glad. It would not be easy to find them now. In the
pass both the firing and the long, whining whoop ceased entirely.
The flashes of red or blue appeared no more. Silence reigned
there and in the valley. Dick shivered despite himself. For the
moment the silence was more terrible than the noise of battle had
been. Black, ominous shadows seemed to float down from the
mountains, clothing all the valley. A chill wind came up, moaning
among the pines. The valley, so warm and beautiful in the day,
now inspired Dick with a sudden and violent repulsion. It was a
hateful place, the abode of horror and dread.