their nimble mounts, and the ardor of the chase had carried
them far down to the flats before the fierce crackle began. Then it was
thrilling to watch them, veering, circling, sweeping to right or left,
ever at furious gallop, throwing their lithe, painted bodies behind
their chargers' necks, clinging with one leg and arm, barely showing so
much as an eyelid, yet yelping and screeching like so many coyotes, not
one of their number coming within four hundred yards of the slender
fighting line in the stream bed; some of them, indeed, disdaining to
stoop, riding defiantly along the front, firing wildly as they rode, yet
surely and gradually guiding their ponies back to the higher ground,
back out of harm's way; and, in five minutes from the time they had
flashed into view, coming charging over the mile away ridge, not a red
warrior was left on the low ground,--only three or four luckless ponies,
kicking in their last struggles or stiffening on the turf, while their
riders, wounded or unhurt, had been picked up and spirited away with the
marvellous skill only known to these warriors of the plains.

Then Ray and his men had time to breathe and shout laughing comment and
congratulation. Not one, as yet, was hit or hurt. They were secure for
the time in a strong position, and had signally whipped off the first
assault of the Sioux.

Loudly, excitedly, angrily these latter were now conferring again far
up the slope to the north. At least an hundred in one concourse, they
were having hot discussion over the untoward result of the dash. Others,
obedient to orders from the chief, were circling far out to east and
west and crossing the valley above and below the position of the
defence. Others, still, were galloping back to the ridge, where, against
the sky line, strong bodies of warriors could be plainly seen, moving
excitedly to and fro. Two little groups slowly making their way to the
crest gave no little comfort to the boys in blue. Some, at least, of the
charging force had been made to feel the bite of the cavalry weapon, and
were being borne to the rear.

But no time was to be wasted. Already from far up the stream bed two or
three Indians were hazarding long-range shots at the grove, and Ray
ordered all horses into a bend of the "wash," where the side lines were
whipped from the blanket straps and the excited sorrels securely
hoppled. Then, here, there and in a score of places along the bank and
again at the edge of the co