d at Ned he could see that
there was a peculiar look in his eyes and strain in his countenance
which suggested discomfort, if not fear.

But all this was momentary. There was something else to think about
beside how his companion looked, especially his father's words, for the
doctor suddenly whispered--

"Keep close everybody, and have your rifles ready when they come on.
Mind, no one is to fire till I give the order, and then all together.
Give them the right-hand barrels, loaded with shot, a scattering volley
right into the midst. That ought to scare them and make them turn about
and gallop off."

"And if they don't?" said Wilton, in a hoarse whisper.

"Give them the bullets then, and let every one be carefully aimed, for
we shall be fighting for our lives."

"They can't have seen us," thought Chris then, for though the Indians
were drawing nearer and nearer, they did not seem to be searching the
long grass as if they feared danger, but came on in a line, each man, as
could be plainly-seen now, with his rein lying loosely upon his horse's
neck, his hands being occupied in holding a short bow with an arrow
fitted to the string ready for drawing to the head and launching.

"Why, they can't see us," thought Chris again, for as the low-down sun
struck nearly horizontally it lit up the enemies' eyes in a peculiar
way, showing their transparency, and at the same time it seemed to the
boy that as they came on in line at a walk they were looking in advance
of where his party were waiting.

The next minute all was made clear, for the line of Indians advanced
obliquely towards the long grass till the leading man came almost in
touch a couple of hundred yards in advance, when all at once there was
the wild whirr of wings, and about a couple of dozen great birds sprang
into the air.

The next instant there was a peculiar dull twanging sound, followed by
the fall of heavy bodies, a wild yell, and the galloping off of the
enemy out into the open after the retreating flock. But three of the
savages reined in, leaped from their horses, and leaving them began to
seek amongst the strands of the tall grass, their search being rewarded
by the discovery of four heavy turkeys, two of which were quite dead,
but the others kept on flapping their wings heavily, their beautiful
coppery bronze plumage gleaming brightly in the sun, till a heavy blow
or two gave them their quietus, when the Indians began to twist up some
of the grass