e it had struck, to stick
quivering and nearly upright amongst the grass.

An arrow, and from its slope it must have come from the unexplored side
of the valley, and been shot high in the air for it to stand so nearly
upright in the grass.

"Indians on the other side," thought Chris, and his first thought was to
run round the grazing animals and drive them towards the part where they
had made their camp.

He started to do this, but stopped at once, uttering a groan of misery,
for in spite of his brave effort, his run proved to be a miserable
hobble, and then the agony he suffered in his side forced him to stop.

"Help! help!" he shouted hoarsely, but he felt that his cry sounded like
a call to the animals amongst whom he stood, and as far as he could make
out there was no one visible to heed his waving hat.

"I must fire my revolver," he thought, and his hand went to his belt to
unbutton the leather flap of the holster; but he did not withdraw the
weapon, for he knew that the report would scare the poor beasts and send
them galloping in all directions.

The time occupied in this was very short, but it was long enough for two
more arrows to fall very near him, one nearly upright to cut its way
with a sharp whizz amongst the grass and bury its head in the soft earth
at an angle of forty-five degrees.

Then another idea struck Chris--tardily, for he felt that he should have
thought of it at first.

Thrusting his hand into his breast, he drew forth a little chain, at the
end of which was a metal whistle, and the alarm note he blew sounded
piercing and shrill.

He did not stop there, but did what he felt was best. Hobbling to the
side of his mustang and talking caressingly to it the while, he took
hold of the thick forelock and began to lead it towards where he hoped
to find safety.

The docile little animal made no opposition to being led from the
pleasant pasture, but started and shivered as there came the sharp whizz
of another arrow--too painful a memory to his ear--making the poor beast
limp along a little faster in obedience to his master's effort to get
him away.

Then another arrow came terribly near them, and Chris whistled again,
his spirits rising though, for the rest of the animals, taking in the
fact of one of them being led away from either corn or water, began to
neigh and squeal as they closed in after their leader, so that if there
proved to be time enough before the arrows took effect, Chris