from being harassed by
the presence of about a dozen Indians, these increased and grew till
there would be nearly a hundred hovering around and constantly on the
watch to cut off any stragglers from the little camp.

They never succeeded, however, for the captain was too watchful. He
never attempted any charges; but when the savages grew too daring, he
gave a few short sharp orders, and half a dozen of the best marksmen
dismounted and made such practice with their short rifles, that pony
after pony went galloping riderless over the plain.

This checked the enemy, but after a few hours they would come on again,
and it seemed as if messengers were sent far and wide, for the Indians
grew in numbers, till at the time when half the distance was covered, it
seemed as if at least four hundred were always hovering around in bands
of twenty or forty, making dashes down as if they meant to ride through
the camp or cut the body of lancers in two. For they would come on
yelling and uttering derisive cries till pretty close, and then wheel
round like a flock of birds and gallop off again into the plain.

"I'm saving it all up for them," said Captain Miguel, laughingly, as a
low murmur of impatience under so much insult ran through his men.
"Wait a bit, and they will not find us such cowards as they think."

"I should like your lancers to make one dash at them though, captain,"
said Bart one evening when, evidently growing more confident as their
numbers increased, the Apaches had been more daring than usual, swooping
down, riding round and round as if a ring of riderless horses were
circling about the camp, for the savages hung along their horses so that
only a leg and arm would be visible, while they kept up a desultory fire
from beneath their horses' necks.

"Bah! let the miserable mosquitoes be," said the captain,
contemptuously. "We have not much farther to go, I suppose."

"I hope to show you the mountain to-morrow," replied Bart.

"Then they can wait for their chastisement for another day or two. Come
now, my excitable young friend, you think I have been rather quiet and
tame with these wretches, don't you?"

Bart's face grew scarlet.

"Well, sir, yes, I do," he said, frankly.

"Well spoken," said the governor, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Yes," said Captain Miguel, "well spoken; but you are wrong, my boy. I
have longed for days past to lead my men in a good dashing charge, and
drive these savage animals b