dy Truman's men are galloping front into line so as
to follow and support. Already Chrome is spurring eagerly forward to
watch the effect. Already Canker, grim, cynical, dissatisfied, but
obedient, is launching his leading troop well over to the right front,
at swift gallop, too, so as to head off such fugitives--Indians or
ponies--as may attempt to scurry away westward; but still the eyes of
all men seem to follow Cranston, for his, after all, is the perilous
part. Already Thunder Hawk and Bear have run back down the slope to leap
into saddle, for the earth begins to quiver and shake under the bounding
hoofs, and with another moment all the valley will wake to the ringing
battle-cry. "My God!" mutters little Sanders, lunging along after his
major, "why ain't I with my own instead of loafing here?"

And now they see Cranston glancing back over his shoulder and carrying
hand to holster. Up like a centaur he bounds against the sky line, up
after him the long rank of ragged hat brims and blue-shirted,
broad-belted, manly forms, up the plunging line of hard-tugging bays,
their black tails streaming in the morning wind, and then Cranston's arm
flings up aloft; up into plain view streams and flaps the silken
guidon,--the stars and stripes in swallow-tailed miniature that the
troopers loved to see,--and then the thud gives way to thunder, for as
one man "C" troop strikes the gallop with the thronging Indian village
not five hundred yards ahead.

Scattered over the low level between the receding bluffs and the rapid
stream, loosely covering a stretch of nearly half a mile along the
shores, with their ragged crown of pole tops wrapped in smoky hide or
canvas, their spreading bases littered with the rude crates,
"parfleches" and travois, some fourscore Indian wigwams burst into view
as the line darts over the crest. "Oh, murther! Six to wan at least,"
gasps an old growler in the right platoon, and Davies whirls about in
saddle. "Silence there, Donovan!" is all he says.

And now can be seen wild scurry and confusion. Four or five dingy forms
dart in and out among the tepees. Three or four Indian boys are lashing
in from the almost countless herd of ponies. Startled by the tremor and
thunder, the nearest of these sturdy little beasts, with tossing heads
and manes, have taken alarm, and are already beginning an aimless
scamper that in another moment will spread to the entire flock. Not a
moment to lose, indeed! One more backward g