ed to him that he
was not likely to come out of a duel on horseback as well as Sile until
he should have had some practice. He did not know how steadily Sile had
insisted on trying several shots every day since the mining expedition
started. At all events he had mounted one round more in the ladder of
his ambition, and had a better prospect for the next.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE APACHES HAVE COME

Just as the sun was rising that morning, an altogether used-up horse
came staggering into the awaking camp of the Apache war-party. On the
horse was a warrior who had been sent out, with others, on scouting duty
the previous day, and he now seemed nearly as fatigued as did the animal
he rode. He had strength for a whoop whose meaning startled all who
heard it, and in a minute more it was understood by most of them that
the horse had been so badly tired out by one arrow, and the brave by
another; but they did not know of whom they were speaking when they
gruffly remarked,

"Two Arrows. Ugh! Nez Perce."

The baffled scout was unable to testify to the presence of white men,
although he could aver that he had retreated from several busy rifles.
He had deemed it his duty to ride back with his news and for another
horse. It would be a good while before he could do much walking, and the
horse which had carried him in must be abandoned, whether it should live
or die.

There was nothing to dispirit such a company in the prospect of more
plunder, many ponies and scalps, and an easy victory over a hunting
party trespassing upon their acknowledged range. They did but eat
breakfast more rapidly and push forward at once. The idea was yet strong
upon them that they were pursued, but not one of their rearward scouts
had come in, and a sense of false security had begun to creep over all
but the very grayest heads among them. Even of these not one dreamed how
dangerously near was the steady advance of Captain Grover and his
blue-coats.

It is an old proverb of sea-fighting that "a stern chase is a long
chase," and it is nearly as true on land, but the cavalry had pushed
along with steady persistency, in a thoroughly business-like and
scientific economy of time and horses. They were therefore in pretty
good condition, men and animals. As Captain Grover remarked so it had
been:

"I know about how fast the redskins can travel. They stole a whole grist
of slow stock and that measures their gait."

However swift might be their best,