Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-01-24
CHAPrER tx.

they can have been dead much more than
a quarter Of an hour. Keep a sharp
lookout ahead, boys; we may see them
at the top OF the next RISE"
Not a word was spoken for the next
few minutes. Two or three slight swells
were crossed without any signs of the
enemy; and then. upon breasting q rather
higher rise than usual, they saw a mass
Of moving beings in the distance.
Halt" Mr.. Hardy shouted, and the
boys instantly drew rein. Jump of,
boys. Only our heads have shown against
the sky. They can hardly have noticed
them. There, hold my horse; loosen the
saddle girths Of yours, too, and let them
breathe freely. Take the brides out of
their mouths. 1t seemed to me, by the
glimpse l got of our enemies, that they
were just stopping. l am going on to
make sure Of it."
So saying, Mr.. Hardy again went for
ward q short distance, going on his hands
and knees as he came to the crest of the
rise, in order that his head might not
show above the long grass. When he
reached it he saw at once that his first
impression had been correct. AT a dis
lance of a little over q mile Il mass of
animals were collected, and round them
were scattered a number of horses, while
figures of men were moving among them.
ut is as ! thought, boys" he said,
when he rejoined his sons. "Thcy have
stopped for a while. The animals must
all be completely done up; they cannot
have come less than thirty miles. and will
require three or four hours rest, at the
least. One hour will do for our horses.
Rinse their mouths out with a little water
and let them Craze il they are disposed;
in half an hour we will give them each
Il double handful of Indian corn"
Having attended to their horses, which
they hobbled to prevent their straying,
Mr.. Hardy and the boys sat down and
made a slight meal. Then Mr.. Hardy
again reconnoitered. There was no
change; most of the animals were lying
down, and there was little sign of move
ment. Two or three Indians, however,
were standing motionless and rigid by
their horses sides, evidently acting as
scntries. The boys thought that hour
the longest that they had eve passed.
AT last, however, their father looked at
his watch. snow, boys, it is five minutes
to the hour. Examine your carbines and
revolvcrs, see that everything is in order.
and that there is no hitch. Tighten tho
saddle girths and examine the buckles.
See that your ammunition and spare car
bine chambers are ready at hand"
"Hurrah!!" the boys both shouted as
they started at a canter up the rise. AS
they caught sight of the Indians every
thing was quiet as before; but in another
moment they saw the men on watch.
throw themselves o N to their horses
backs, figures lcaped up from the grass
and ran toward their horses, and in little
oyer n minute the whole We're in motion.
"Surely they are not going to run away
from three men!" Charley said in a dis
gusted tone.
'.They won't run far, Charley" MIR.
Hardy said quietly. by the time that
we are half way to them they will see
that we can have no one with us, and
they will come on quickly enough. Halt.
~boys-steady, dismount; take up your po-
sitions quietly. Don't fire till I give you
the word. I shall try my rifle first"
The well-trained horses, accustomed to
their masters firing from their backs,
stood as steady as il carved in stone,
their heads turned inQuiringly toward the
yelling throng Of horsemen who We're APP
preaching. Mr.. Hardy and the boys had
both %dismounted, so that the horses We're
between them and the Indians, the sad
dies serving as rests for their firearms.
Five hundred yards, Char!ey?" his
father asked quietly.
"a little over, papa; nearly six, | should
sas."
Mr.. Hardy waited another ten seconds,
and chen his rife cracked; and a yell of
astonishmcnt and rage broke from the
Indians, as one of their chiefs, conspicu-
Gus from IN old dragon helmet, taken
probably in come skirmisA with the SOL
diers, fell from his horse.
"Hurrah!" Charley cried. "Shall we
fire now. papa?"
mo, Charley" Mr.. Hardy said as he
reloaded his rifle; "wait till they are four
hundred yards off, then fire slowly. Count
ten between each shot, and take as steady
an aim as possible. Now! Well done.
two more of the scoundrels down. Steady,
Hubert, you missed that time; there,
that's BETTER"
The Indians yelled with rage and aston
ishment as man after man dropped be-
fore the steady and. to them, mysterious
fire which was kept up upon them. Still
they did not abate the rapidity of their
charge.
'Done, papa" Charley said, as the two
boys simultaneously fired their last shot,
when the leading Indians were about two
hundred and fifty yards distant.
"Change our chambers aud mount"
Mr.. Hardy said as he again took aim
with his rifle.
The enemy was not more thar a hun
dred and fifty yards distant when they
leaped into their saddles and started ut o
gallop.
STEADY, boys, keep your horses we'll in
hand. Never mind their balls; they could
no more hit q man at this distance from
the back Of a horse than they could fly.
There is 40 chance OF their catching us;
there won't be many horses faster than
ours, and ours are a good deal fresher.
Keep a good lookout for holes"
Both pursuers and pursued were now
going over the ground at a tremendous
pace. The Indians had ceased firing, for
most Of those who had guns had discharg-
ed them as Mr.. Hardy and his sons had
mounted, and it Was impossible to load
at the speed at which they were going.
During the first mile of the chase Mr..
Hardy had looked round several times,
and had said each time: I'VE are holding
our own. boys; they are a good hundred
Yards behind; keep your horses in hand"
At the end of another mile his face
frightened as he looked round. "All
right, boys; they are failing of fast.
Thsee-quarters OF them have stopped al.