were seeking. Behind them he heard
again the yells of the Indian warriors, hopeful now of an unexpected
triumph. He saw their figures emerging from cover and he judged that
they were at least twenty in number. He saw also that the Little Giant
had stopped and was looking at the pursuers with a speculative eye,
while his repeating rifle lay easily in the hollow of his arm. Then he
urged the animals on and presently he looked back a second time.

He was just in time to see the breech of the rifle leap to the Little
Giant's shoulder. "Leap" was the only word to describe it, his action
was so swift and so little time did he waste in taking aim. It all
passed in an instant, as he pulled the trigger, and the foremost Indian
far down the slope threw up his arms, falling backward without a cry. In
another instant he pulled the trigger again and another Indian fell
beside the first. The whole band stopped, uttered a tremendous cry of
rage, and then darted into the undergrowth for cover.

"Two," said Boyd. "Didn't I tell you, Will, that he was a wonder with
the rifle?"

"I had to do it. I call you both to witness that I had to do it," said
the Little Giant in a melancholy voice. "I'm a hunter o' gold an' not
properly a killer o' men, even o' savage men. An' yet I find no gold,
but I do kill. Sometimes I'm sorry that I happened to be born jest a
natcherly good shot. I reckon we'd better whoop up our speed ez much ez
we kin now, 'cause after that lesson they'll hang back a while afore
follerin'."

"That's good generalship," said Boyd.

Will was already urging forward the animals, which, frightened by the
shots, were making speed of their own accord toward the pass. The hunter
and the Little Giant followed at a more leisurely gait, with their
rifles ready to beat off pursuit. Some shots were fired from the bushes,
but they fell short, and the two laughed in disdain.

"They'll have to do a lot better than that, won't they, Giant?" said the
hunter.

"A powerful sight better, but they'll hope to slip up on us in the dark.
It hurts my feelin's to hev to shoot any more of 'em, or to shoot
anybody, but I'm afeard I'll hev to do it, Jim Boyd, afore we git
through with this here piece o' business."

"In that case, Giant, just let your feelings go and shoot your best."

Will still led on, and, though his heart beat as hard as ever, it was
more from the exertion of climbing than from apprehension. He had seen
the two wonderful sho