Part 19 (1/2)
”Whew!” panted Bob, as very h not wholly convinced, by his co ”Then I am the chief man in this scout, ah to rescue those boys alive and unharmed, ould the fellows say? What would Mr Wentworth say?”
”The boys would cheer you, and you would win Mr Wentworth's everlasting gratitude,” replied George ”But, Bob, the prisoners have not been rescued yet, and I warn you that unless you are as sly as a fox you will be the means of their death If the Indians discover you, and find themselves unable to escape, their very first act will be to kill those boys”
”Good gracious!” exclai his reins upon the horn of his saddle and pulling off his cap with one hand while he scratched his head vigorously with the other ”_Good_ gracious! The captain never thought of that when he sent e, the responsibility is too heavy for o and report to him”
”That wouldn't be a very se ”You would not only be taken to task for wasting valuable ti a smoke that they couldn't understand arise on their trail, would take the alaruishi+ng yourself”
”Don't you suppose they saw the smoke that Lieutenant Earle sent up?”
”Of course they did--the captain's too Those sa for us, for I auard by leading them to believe they are not pursued Youthis trail if you want to catch those Indians
What are your orders, anyhow?”
”To follow the trail until I am recalled or until the Indians throw me off entirely,” replied Bob
”Then don't you see that you would be disobeying orders byyour squad back to the coluet yourself into trouble by doing that, and besides, you would be hauled over the coals for not taking better care of your ht without a rest, and how rass or water? Don't do it, Bob”
”But the prisoners--just think of the prisoners!” exclaimed the perplexed corporal ”I don't want to feel that I am responsible for any har to shi+rk it”
”Well, will you take coe quickly ”Don't confess your incapacity by surrendering your authority Besides, a scout never commands--he only advises; and I will help you in that way all I can Go on, and say that you will do your best”
”I will,” said Bob, sla himself firmly in his saddle ”If we can only place ourselves in a position to cover those boys, the Indians will not have a chance to touch theood e ”A single hair of those boys' heads is worth the lives of all the Indians that ever saw the Staked Plains, and if it becomes necessary to shoot in their defence, I ah sandhill, and if you will stop here for a few ”
Bob raised his hand to halt the squad, and George swung himself out of his saddle His first care was to lay aside his cap and rifle, and his next to pull up a quantity of grass and weeds to be used as a screen
With these in one hand and his field-glass in the other he crept slowly to the top of the sandhill, and, holding the screen a few inches above the ground, he pushed his field-glass under it and looked around
”Aha!” was his ood news to carry back to the boys There's a deep gully about five h it, or else those ould not be growing there I e had got here an hour earlier, for then I should have had daylight to aidully a few hours ago, and the question to be decided now is--Hallo! If that isn't s those trees, what is it? And didn't that little cluster of bushes over there on the top of that hill shi+ft its position just now?”
George's heart beat wildly as he propounded these inquiries to hi look, and then with a very slow and gradual motion he deposited his screen upon the sand and backed down to the plain His stealthy
”Corporal,” said he as they rode up to hiest that you order your men to remove their sabres as quietly as possibly”
Bob quickly unhooked his own sabre from his belt, and looked at his men, who made all haste to follow his example They knew that there could be but one reason for this order A steel scabbard hanging by the side of a careless rider will strike against his spurs with every step his horse takes, or rattle against his leg as the trooper walks about, giving out a clear ringing sound that will betray his presence to foes far less watchful and sharp-eared than Indians
”So we have run them into their holes, have we?” said Bob when he had acted upon George's suggestion
”That remains to be seen They are camped about fivethe trail”
The troopers looked at Bob as if to ask what he was going to do about it, and Bob, who had as little idea of the orders he ought to give under the circue The latter did not say anything, for he wanted the troopers to hold fast to their belief that the corporal was able to act for hiave his friend a look that was plainly understood