nt,
and thirty men did not seem an overpowering force for a hundred and more
of Apache warriors to run from, but neither of the two parties could
have a correct knowledge of the strength of the other. Besides, the main
object of an Indian raid is never a hard fight, but rather to pick up
scalps and plunder and get away without serious loss. Red men are
courageous enough, but they have a strong objection to being shot at or
sabred, and know that it does not take a great many hard-won victories
over cavalry, even if they should win them, to about wipe out the
fighting strength of a tribe.

As for Captain Grover, he had been ordered to follow and "strike" that
band of Apaches, and compel them to return to their "reservation," and
he had no other purpose in mind than to obey thoroughly.

"I'll follow them," he remarked to the lieutenant, "as far as they
choose to go. We've wiped out six of their scouts already."

"Garry," said one of the men at the same moment, "reckon them 'Paches'll
begin to think this 'ere's an unhealthy crowd to creep in on."

"The more on 'em we can pick off," said Garry, "the fewer we'll have to
fight at the close."

"Sharp work when that comes, or I'm mistaken, but they can't take hoss
plunder into the mountains."

As they rode along so cheerily and confidently, it became plainer and
plainer that those men had small doubt of their ability to deal with any
ordinary band of red horse-thieves if they could meet them fairly. It
would hardly have seemed so to an unprejudiced observer of the Apache
cavalcade that morning. Every warrior was a perfect horseman, and was
well mounted and well armed. There were lances instead of sabres, but
the pistols and carbines, or rifles, were just as good as those carried
by the cavalry. The red men were all trained and experienced soldiers,
under capable leaders, and it looked as if all they had to do was to
choose a good position and wait for Captain Grover and his men, and
destroy them all. As it was, all they seemed to think of was to urge
their drove of stolen quadrupeds forward. They could not make the best
of time so encumbered, and when they again halted for the night, the men
in blue were several miles nearer without one Apache knowing exactly
where they were. The trail these had made told Captain Grover all he as
yet needed to know, with the help of one used-up pony that the Indians
had turned loose to shift for himself.

"Beginning to break down, are th