Year: 1878

the voice of the prairie cricket sounded
terribly loud and harsh TO the anxious
riders.


Two miles from the post, Little Dan
suddenly turned 10 the left, rode Tor
twenty rods at faster pace. and then
came to dead halt.


Listen 'he whispered to the circle
around HIM, and each ear was strained
to catch the slightest sound. In the
course Of sixty seconds each man plain
ly made out for himself that a detach-
ment ofIndians were passing them not
over three hundred yards away. Dan
had been warned not a second too soon.
But for the swerve to the left there
would have been collision and butch
ery. For three or four minutes the
little band sat like statues, and it was
a happy relief when the dwarf whisper
ed:


Follow each other at walk !


Seven midnight shadows crept slowly
over the flower sprinkled grass for a
long half hour. The horses were be-
coming nervous and impatient, when all
of sudden a halt was made. Little
Dams mustang stood looking toward
Fort McKavctte, and he was riderless.
The others halted beside him, and after
a minute the dwarf reappeared.


Over the ridge here in front of US is
an Injun campn he whispered, or a
band of Injuns are breaking camp! In
iuns are moving all along our front, and
a wolf couldn't sneak through! We
must hide till they pass follow me soft-
ly.'


He turned to the left again, followed
the base ofthe ridge fora mile, aud the
party entered a dry raline with banks
from five to eight feet high. The bed
might have been wet in the spring, bui
was dry then, and quite free from OBJ
slructions. As soon as shelter was
O tanned Little Dan again disappeared.
He was gone some five minutes this
time, and when he returned he said:


'Thele's millions Of 'em There's
been big camp in this neighborhoOd
for three or four days, and the warriors
are now moving Tor the fort, leaving
paps and squaws behind. Keep quiet
until we can get out


AT the end Of five minutes the In
dian> were heard advancing, and pre-
scntly their conversation could plainly
be made out. All were mounted but
seemed ID no hurry. Some rode around
the head of the ravlne and Others were
heard crossing it lower down. Huddled
together in the darkness were the seven
white men, each one holding his breath,
and each horse trembling with excite
ment.


'We'll be discovered sooner or later
whispered Dan, and we'd better get in
the first blow. Draw your revolvers.
ride three abreast, and III leadn


He waited mindte for the men to
get ready, and then raised the widest
yell ever heard by Indian or white man.
It's fiercenes, fairly appalled, his COM
panions Tor an instant, but as his mus
tang sprang forward they spurred after.
Charging straight down the ravine, with
that wild scream echoing from bank to
bank, they had gone nearly half mile
before the surprised Indians compre-
hended the situation and made pursuit.
The ravine belt and turned for miles,
and while semc of the Indians followed
down it, Others rode along the banks,
firing at random and screaming in their
rage.


A mile further down. called Little
Dan, as he turned in his saddle, a trail
crosses the ditch. Wen turn 10 the
right and make for the Injun village.
If you shoot straight, we'll give these
devils a chance to attend a dozen fun
erals at home


Not shot had thus far been fred by
the party. Two or three mounted In
dians had been encountered, sitting on
their saddles, and wondering over the
alarm. but they had been knocked down
and leaped over like so many toys.
The little band were a quarter Of mile
ahead o pursuit as they whirled to the
right, dashed up the bauk, and made
for the hundred camp fires mile away.


Six abreast now-iollow me! shout
ed the dwarf. L want to charge right
through the center OF the village, and
I'll kill as many as all OF you can
wound! Fire at everybody on legs.
and keep yelling like devils'


Had they kept on down the ravine,
it woulu simply have been a test of
speed between horses, with odds IN
favor OF the white men. Little Dan
had doubled back on their track instead
OF running away, and was headed OF
by big village alive with excitement.
The Indians kept along the ravine, not
yet having caught sight Of the pursued,
but still knowing that they were chasing
white men.


Now raise a yell, shouted Dan, rs
tho band neared the villags-'raise tile
worst yell you can, and don't forget to
keep shoutlng!'


His peculiar scream was again sent
forth. and the other side riders hurrah-
ed at the top of their voices. Dan and
bis mustang were wonderful sight.
The animal forged ahead at steady
gate, his ears lald back and his mouth