ngs still leading,
with the Indian next him, and then the others one after the other in
file, Josh proudly bringing up the rear, they stepped forwards with the
utmost care, keeping the wind in their faces so that they should not be
betrayed by the scent of their clothing reaching the timid animals, to
do which, they had to execute a considerable detour, and take advantage
of every chance of cover.

By degrees, they gradually got within a fair range of about eighty
yards--for, although long-distance shooting may be very nice as a test
of shooting at the Wimbledon targets, it is quite a different matter
when your dinner depends on the success of your shot; for, with that
consideration in view, even the surest of marksmen likes to get within
easy reach of his game.

Mr Rawlings and Noah Webster, the two best shots of the party, levelled
their rifles together--after a brief nod from the Indian half-breed
which seemed to say "Now's your time"--and fired simultaneously, aiming
at two of the wild sheep.

At the very moment they did so, the report of a third shot was heard,
that seemed like the echo of their own double discharge, pinging through
the keen rarefied air; and when the smoke had cleared off, and the
reverberations of the sound had died away, rolling in fainter and
fainter waves amongst the mountain hollows in the distance, three of the
sheep were observed to be stretched lifeless on the plateau where they
had been so recently feeding in peace, while the remainder of the flock
were bounding away from peak to peak, seeking refuge in their native
fortresses in the crags above.

Mr Rawlings did not notice anything unusual at first, as he had not
heard the third rifle-shot; but Noah Webster and the half-breed, who
were much better accustomed to woodcraft--having had their senses
sharpened by dangers which seamen never have to encounter--were alive at
once to the perception of something being wrong.

"Injuns, I reckon!" muttered Noah Webster under his breath, to which the
half-breed growled a characteristic "Ugh," and the two sank down closer
amid the grass, dragging down Mr Rawlings with them, Noah stopping his
expostulations by clapping his hand across his mouth, and looking at him
warningly, while he motioned to the rest behind them to follow their
example.

All huddled together in the grass and tangled brushwood, hardly
breathing for fear their presence might be discovered by some possible
foe, they looked out