, and looked round. Not a Cheyenne was to be seen:
five minutes afore they had been hanging on the herd, sending their
arrows in up to the feather among the buffalo; now not a soul was to be
seen. You may guess this staggered me and I says to Rube, 'Look out,
Rube, there's something up, as sure as fate.'

"Well, I had scarcely spoken afore I saw a big party of Injins come
charging down across our rear. 'Utes,' says I, 'by thunder! They are
after the Cheyennes! Fling yourself flat on your horse, Rube, and get
into the herd.'

"The buffalo war only fifty yards away yet, and yer may be sure we
spurred up pretty sharp till we got up to them. I seed at once it was
our only chance. Our horses war blowed, for we had had a sharp chase
afore we caught the herd, and there was no chance of our getting away
from the Utes in the open plains. We soon caught up the herd, and
charged in among them. The brutes were packed so close together that
they could hardly make room for us; but we managed to wedge ourselves
in. Those next to us snuffed and roared, but they war too pressed by
those behind to do much; but by shouting and waving our hats we managed
to keep a clear space three or four yards on either side of us. All
this time we war lying down on our horses' necks, and there war no fear
that any one would see us in the midst of that sea of tossing cattle;
but I war afraid they would have caught sight of us afore we got among
'em. I cussed myself for having fired that last shot; they must have
heard it, and would have known that some of us hadn't seen them coming,
and must be somewhere among the herd.

"I raised my head a little at last, and took a look round. Sure enough,
there was a dozen Utes coming up behind the herd. I puts spurs again
into my horse, and, catching up an old bull in front of me, progged him
with my bowie-knife, and Rube did the same to the beast next to him.
They gave a roar and plunged on ahead through the mass, and we followed
close to their heels. It was tight work, I can tell you, for the
buffaloes on both sides war touching one another. We kept going about
half a length behind the beasts next to us, so that the horses'
shoulders war just behind the shoulders of the buffaloes; as you know,
the buffaloes have got no necks to speak of, and so, although they gave
savage thrusts with their horns, they couldn't get at the horses. Our
beasts were frightened near out of their lives, but they war well
broken, and we