, where the poor women and children were huddled
together in terror.

Before this point had arrived, however, Whitewing and Little Tim were
galloping to the rescue. The former knew at a glance that resistance on
the part of his friends would be hopeless. He did not therefore gallop
straight down to the field of battle to join them, but, turning sharply
aside with his friend, swept along one of the bottoms or hollows between
the undulations of the plain, where their motions could not be seen as
they sped along. Whitewing looked anxiously at Little Tim, who,
observing the look, said:--

"I'm with 'ee, Whitewing, niver fear."

"Does my brother know that we ride to death?" asked the Indian in an
earnest tone.

"Yer brother don't know nothin' o' the sort," replied the trapper, "and,
considerin' your natur', I'd have expected ye to think that Manitou
might have some hand in the matter."

"The white man speaks wisely," returned the chief, accepting the reproof
with a humbled look. "We go in His strength."

And once again the latter part of the preacher's text seemed to shoot
through the Indian's brain like a flash of light--"looking unto Jesus."

Whitewing was one of those men who are swift to conceive and prompt in
action. Tim knew that he had a plan of some sort in his head, and,
having perfect faith in his capacity, forbore to advise him, or even to
speak. He merely drew his hunting-knife, and urged his steed to its
utmost speed, for every moment of time was precious. The said
hunting-knife was one of which Little Tim was peculiarly fond. It had
been presented to him by a Mexican general for conspicuous gallantry in
saving the life of one of his officers in circumstances of extreme
danger. It was unusually long and heavy, and, being double-edged, bore
some resemblance to the short, sword of the ancient Romans.

"It'll do some execution before I go down," thought Tim, as he regarded
the bright blade with an earnest look.

But Tim was wrong. The blade was not destined to be tarnished that day.

In a very few minutes the two horsemen galloped to the thicket which had
concealed the enemy. Entering this they dashed through it as fast as
possible until they reached the other side, whence they could see the
combatants on the plain beyond. All along they had heard the shouts and
yells of battle.

For one moment Whitewing drew up to breathe his gallant steed, but the
animal was roused by that time, and it wa