Part 28 (1/2)

Just before daybreak several additional Indians ca officer and the soldiers were told to march Their feet were unfastened, but their hands were not, and they were forced to move with the red men on all sides of them, and each of the enemy fully armed and ready to shoot them down at the first show of resistance or escape

From one of the privates Captain Moore learned that Lieutenant Carrol and the other soldiers had escaped, but what had become of them nobody knew

The little body of whites and Indians marched over a mountain trail for fully four hours The step was a lively one, and when the party came to a halt even the soldiers used to a hard s off of anything I know of,” was the way one old soldier expressed his who don't know the e to nize it?”

”I do, Captain Moore Yonder is Henebeck Fall, and this trail leads to Silver Gulch”

”Then we are about six miles from nowhere in particular”

”You've struck it, captain Why they brought us to such a forsaken spot isto shoot us down like dogs and leave us for the wolves to feed on The wolves are thick around here, so Leeson told me”

”I don't believe they'll shoot us down They are not desperate enough yet But they may do it, if they attack the fort and lose heavily That will open their eyes, and make them as mad as hornets”

A little later Silver Gulch, a wide opening in the rocks of the ain made fast to several trees Then the Indians prepared their , and did not offer the whiteuntil they had finished

”They don't intend to treat us any too good,” was Peck's coet away?”

”I intend to escape if I canofficer

”But we must be careful, for they are fully armed, and they watch us like so many foxes”

Slowly the afternoon wore away, and with the coh a storht to help us,” said the captain

Souard consisted of but four warriors These redto it that all the bonds were tight

As the men passed Peck the old soldier watched his chance, and, unknown to the red -knife from the belt of one of the number

This knife was concealed up his sleeve, and then the soldier waited for his chance to use the blade, which was as sharp as a razor

The Indians decided that two of their nuuard Soon those to retire turned in, while the others sat down to smoke their pipes

This was Peck's opportunity, and with a slash of the hunting-knife he released his hands A moment later the lariat around his ankles was likewise severed

Watching his chance, Peck passed the knife to Captain Moore, and then went back to his position by the tree as if still fastened

Thus the knife was passed from soldier to soldier until all were liberated

All told, the party nu Peck, to who to the others to keep quiet, Captain Moore picked up a stick of wood lying near and threw it in some bushes a distance away

This azed in the direction