on, and gleaming right in our
eyes.

My companions were wroth at the trick that had been thus played so
adroitly; though we could not have hindered it even if forewarned of
their intention.

We were allowed but little time to reflect upon the matter; we saw by
the movements of the horsemen that they were preparing to charge. One
who appeared to be the leader, mounted upon a larger horse than any of
the rest was addressing them. He rode along the line speaking in a loud
tone, and gesticulating violently; he was answered with _vivas_, which
we could plainly hear. Every moment, we looked to see them gallop
forward.

We knew there was no alternative but fight or surrender--though not one
of us entertained an idea of the latter. For myself, I should as soon
have thought of turning my pistol to my own head. My uniform, tattered
as it was, would easily reveal my character to the enemy; and, if
captured, I knew that I should be hung, or perhaps, in the absence of
trees, shot down upon the spot. My comrades had reasons for knowing
that _their_ shrift would be equally short: neither thought for a moment
of tamely yielding.

"No!" emphatically pronounced Rube, "this child don't guv in, till he's
rubbed out, _he_ don't! Tarnation odd too!" he added, looking toward
the troop; "twelve agin three o' us. Durn the odds! I've got clur o'
wuss scrapes than't looks yit, and so've you, Bill Garey--hain't we,
boyee? Durn the odds! let 'em kum on!"

"Ay," responded Garey, without the slightest show of excitement, "they'd
better not come too near 'ithout telling thar bisness. I see one saddle
that I'll empy the minnit they pass yon weed." And the speaker
indicated a bunch of the _artemisia_ plant that grew some two hundred
paces off in the direction of the horsemen.

The reckless talk of the old trapper, with the contrasted cool bearing
of his younger companion, had fixed my nerves fully. At the first sight
of so many adversaries, I was not without some misgivings--in truth, I
felt fear. Such odds against us--four to one--was fair cause for
apprehension. But it was not my first fight against large odds, both
Indian and Mexican; and on that account, I regarded it the less
seriously.

Notwithstanding the superiority of our enemy in numbers, I knew we were
not so unequal. Unless shot down by the first volley of their carbines
and escopettes, each of our three rifles was sure of its man. I had
confidence in my own weapon