in such a naked spot.

We hastily formed the determination to cross the table summit to the
other side, and watch the movements of the two horsemen.

Guided by their voices, we once more knelt above them, at the rearmost
angle of the mound. They had there halted to examine the ground, and
only waited for the flash; we, too, waited above them, and _within
range_.

"We kin fetch them out o' thar saddles?" whispered my companion.

I hesitated to give my assent; perhaps it was prudence that restrained
me, for I had now conceived hopes of a surer deliverance.

At that moment gleamed the lightning; the dark horsemen loomed large
under its yellow glare; they were less than fifty paces from the muzzles
of our guns: we could have sighted them with sure aim; and, bayed as we
had been, I was almost tempted to yield to the solicitations of my
companion.

Just then, an object came under our eyes that caused both of us to draw
back our half-levelled rifles--that object was the body of our comrade
Rube.

It was lying flat along the ground, the arms and legs stretched out to
their full extent, and the face buried deep in the grass. From the
elevation at which we viewed it, it appeared like the hide of a young
buffalo, spread out to dry, and pinned tightly to the turf. But we knew
it was not that; we knew it was the body of a man dressed in brown
buckskin--the body of the earless trapper! It was not dead neither; no
dead body could have placed itself in such an attitude, for it lay
flattened along the turf like a gigantic newt.

The object of this attitude was evident to us, and our hearts beat with
a painful anxiety while the light flickered around. The body was
scarcely five hundred yards out; but though perfectly visible from our
position, it must have been inconspicuous to the horsemen below; for as
soon as it darkened, we heard them, to our great relief, ride back
toward the front--Ijurra reiterating his doubts as they passed away.

Fortunate it was for both him and his companion they had not espied that
prostrate form--fortunate for Rube--for all of us!

Garey and I kept our places, and waited for another flash.

When it came, the brown buckskin was no longer in sight! Far off--
nearly a mile off, we fancied we could distinguish the same form
flattened out as before; but the gloam of the prairie-grass rendered our
vision uncertain.

Of one thing, however, we were certain--our comrade had escaped.

CHAPTE