Part 42 (2/2)

Black Boy did not rear up this ti thankful that the poor beast had not been h, no doubt, the rifle-ball having cut one of his ears right through,it bleed profusely

But there was no ti about them from behind; and now Bart could see the cause of the Beaver's alarretted that he had not responded and turned at once, the fewbeen a waste of time sufficient to place all of them in deadly peril

For there far out on the plain was a very large body of the Apaches co evidently espied the now so as to cut them off from their friends, and drive them back into the corner formed by the mountain and the canyon, a spot where escape would have been impossible even without the presence of a second hostile party of Indians to make assurance doubly sure

”Ride! ride!” the Beaver said hoarsely; and in his exciteood ”Don't o”

All the sah, as Bart listened to their yells and the reports of their rifles, he shuddered, and thought of the consequences of one bullet taking effect on horse or h, as they rode on, the cries of the Apaches behind sounded rew more deadly

They picked up first one Indian of their party, and then another, the brave fellows sittingfor their chief to join the doards theuttural cry of satisfaction left their lips, and they galloped on behind their leader without soa look at the dis on

A tremendous race! Well it was that the little horses had been well fed and also well-rested for some time past, or they would never have been able to keep on at such a headlong speed, tearing up the earth at every bound, and spurning it behind the manes, determined apparently to win in this race for life or death, and save their riders from the peril in which they were placed

Another Indian of their scouts reached, and their party increased to five, while twopatiently for them to come

The histled by their ears; the ponies seemed to have become part of them, and every nerve was now strained to the ut to be so near They ell-ateway could be reached, where the first prospect of a few friendly shots could be expected to help them to escape from a horrible death Mercy, Bart knew, there would certainly be none, and in spite of all their efforts, it seemed as if they must lose the race

How far away the next sentry seemed! Try how they would, he seemed to be no nearer, and in very few ht upon them

Involuntarily he cocked his rifle and threw it to the left as if getting ready to fire, but the Beaver uttered an angry cry

”No, no; ride, ride,” he said; and Bart felt that he was right, for to fire at that vast body would have beendown one or even a dozen a for their blood?

In response Bart gripped his pony htly in the stirrups, and the nexttheir scout like a flash, and he had wheeled his pony and was after them

One more scout to reach, and then a race of a few hundred yards, and rifles would begin to play upon their pursuers; but would they ever reach that next scout?

It seean in his excitement to wonder ould be done if one should stumble and fall

Would the others stop and defend hiallop away to save their own lives? Then he asked hio down, and he hoped that he would be brave enough to try and save so good aout in their front It was fired by the scout they were racing to join

It was a long shot, but effective, for an Apache pony fell headlong down, and a couple ht diversion in their favour--so ained a few yards, and instead of galloping right down upon thee off a little in the sa

And still they tore on, while at last the Apaches edged offon about a hundred yards to their left, afraid to close in lest their prey should get too far ahead; and they were all tearing on in this fashi+on when the last scout was reached, already inspurs to his pony as the Beaver passed, and then caateway for life or death

For now ca of their friends check the Apaches, or would they press on in deadly strife to the bitter end?

”Ride close up to the rock below Joses,” shouted the Beaver; ”then juht side of your horse, turn and fire;” and with these words, spoken in broken English, ringing in his ears, Bart felt his spirits rise, and uttering a cheer full of excitealloped on

The endurance of the little horses onderful, but all the saround which they were forced to take close in under the perpendicular e size, that had to be skirted, while those of a smaller size were leaped by the hardy little anihtest swerve or a fall meant death of the most horrible kind

Twice over his cob hesitated at a monstrous piece of rock And each time Bart nearly lost his seat; but he recovered it and raced on

Faster and faster they swept along, the Indian followers of the Beaver urging their horses on by voice and action, while the yells of the Apaches acted like so htened beasts