es a bend here,"
he observed. "Maybe we shall find ourselves in front of the train. No
Redskins will venture to attack it when they see us."

No sounds had hitherto reached our ears, but presently a shot was heard
from a short distance off, then another and another.

"On, on!" cried Armitage, and in a few minutes, through an opening in
the forest, we caught sight of a large band of Indians rapidly
descending the hill, while nearer to us there came the leading waggon of
an emigrant train, the drivers of which were endeavouring to turn back
their cattle as probably those following were attempting to do.

From the shrieks and cries which arose, it seemed too likely that the
Redskins had already attacked the travellers, and we knew well what
quick work they would make of it should they have gained any advantage;
so, digging spurs into our horses' flanks, we passed round the head of
the train, and uttering a loud cheer as we did so to encourage the
emigrants, we rode full tilt at the savages.

CHAPTER NINE.

As we rode round the head of the train, we saw to our sorrow that the
Redskins had already fought their way to two of the centre waggons, the
white men belonging to which were engaged in a fierce fight with them.
Armitage took an anxious glance at the occupants of the leading waggon.

"Who commands this train?" he asked eagerly of one of the drivers.

The man, owing to the war-whoops of the savages, the shrieks of the
women, and the shouts of his companion, did not perhaps hear the
question, and there was no time to repeat it as we swooped by. Already
it appeared to us that the work of murder had commenced. Two or three
of the people lay on the ground, and while part of the Indians were
fighting, some were engaged in attempting to drag off the female
occupants of the waggon. To prevent them succeeding in their desperate
attempt was our first object. Leaving the Indians we had intended to
charge, we turned our horses and dashed forward towards the point where
our services were most required. The savages saw us coming, and most of
them leaving the waggon, some leapt on their horses, while others
attempted to defend themselves on foot. Firing a volley from our rifles
which brought several to the ground, we rushed at our foes. Just then I
saw, to my horror, an Indian, who by his dress appeared to be a chief,
dragging off a female, a fair girl she seemed, whom he lifted on his
horse. In vain she struggled