. Then he felt sure that a portion at least
would stampede for the hills, and that he would not have to fight more
than ten or a dozen. His plan was at all hazards to cut out,
recapture, and hold Harvey's wagon. That, first of all; then, if
possible, the others.

And now the time had come. In eager but suppressed excitement
Meinecke and the men came trotting up the slope.

"Halt!" signalled Drummond; then "Forward into line," and presently
the lieutenant stood looking into the sun-tanned faces of less than
twenty veteran troopers, four sets of fours with two sergeants, dusty
and devil-may-care, with horses jaded, yet sniffing mischief ahead and
pricking up their ears in excitement. Drummond had been the troop
leader in scout after scout and in several lively skirmishes during
the year gone by. There was not one of his troopers whom he could not
swear by, thought he, but then the recollection of Bland's treachery
brought his teeth together with vengeful force. He found his voice a
trifle tremulous as he spoke, but his words had the brave ring the men
had learned to look for, and every one listened with bated breath.

"Our work's cut out for us here. Not more than a mile ahead now is
just the worst band of scoundrels in all the West, and in their midst
George Harvey's daughters. You all know him by reputation. They are in
the white-topped wagon, and that is the one we must and shall have.
Don't charge till I give the word. Don't waste a shot. Some of them
will scatter. Let them go! What we want is their captives." With that
he swung quickly into saddle.

"Ready now? No! don't draw pistol till you're close in on them, and
no carbines at all this time. All right. Now--steady.--Keep your
alignment. Take the pace from me. Forward!"

Up the gentle slope they rode, straining their eyes for the first
sight of the hunted quarry, opening out instinctively from the centre
so that each trooper might have fighting space. No squares of
disciplined infantry, no opposing squadrons, no fire-flashing lines
were to be met and overthrown by compact and instantaneous shock. It
was to be a _melee_, as each trooper well knew, in which, though
obedient to the general plan of their leader, the little detachment
would be hurled forward at the signal "Charge," and then it would be
practically a case of "every man for himself."

"I want you four fellows to stick close to me now," said Drummond,
turning in saddle and indicating the desired se