Ther best thing we kin do is ter camp
right here whar we've got water and grass, and git ready for a brush;
'cause they'll fight us, if ther's any show for 'em, you bet."
"We'll jist camp right on this knoll, and then we shall have a fair
chance all round; get your animals corralled with the wagons, and then
we'll ride out and meet 'em, that is, we must keep 'em as far away from
the wagons as possible."
Everything was soon arranged; but, to our surprise, the Indians made no
attack.
[Illustration: The Comanche's Attack.]
Jerry, myself and Hal rode out towards the spot where we had seen them,
and a very few moments served to convince us that they meant business;
for they were scattered, with the evident intention of surrounding us.
"That won't work," said Jerry. "We'll just go back to the wagons and stay
there and fight it out on our own dung-hill. There ain't more'n a dozen
of 'em, and, ef we can't lick that number of thievin' Comanches, we don't
desarve to git to California, no how."
We had hardly returned to the wagons before the Indians began to show
their tactics by riding around us in a circle, each time coming nearer
and nearer, until finally, when within easy range, they threw themselves
over upon the sides of their horses and let fly a shower of arrows, that
fell among us without doing any harm, other than frightening the stock.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73