, and a still more perfect reliance on those
of my comrades. They were men that never missed--men who never fired a
random shot--never drew trigger till their aim was sure. I felt
certain, therefore, that should the horsemen charge upon us, only _nine_
of the twelve would ever get within pistol-shot of us, and for that
distance we were well prepared. I carried in my belt a six-chambered
revolver, one of Colt's best; Garey had another--a present I had made
him many years before--and Rube was armed with a pair of stout
single-barrels, likely enough to do good service.

"Sev'nteen shots! wid our bowies to fall back upon!" cried Garey
triumphantly, as we finished a hasty survey of our arms.

As yet the enemy did not advance. Notwithstanding their _vivas_ and
ejaculations, they appeared to hesitate about charging. Their leader,
and another--a lieutenant, perhaps--were still seen riding along their
line, as if animating them by further speech, giving them orders how to
act.

Meanwhile, _we_ had not been idle; we had _formed square_ to receive the
charge!

You may smile, but such was in reality the case. We had formed square--
with our horses! There were four of them, for the wild-horse counted
one. Garey, who _rode_ like a Comanche, had broken him at our last
camp, and he was now perfectly tractable. The shake of a lazo rendered
him docile as a lamb.

The four were tied head to head, and croup to croup, and each formed one
side of the square. They could not have broken it even under a charge
of cavalry; bridles must be untied or cut, and lazoes set loose, before
that _formation_ could be destroyed!

Within stood we, fronting our foes--the large horse of Garey forming our
barricade towards them--our heads and feet alone visible to the enemy.

Thus did we await their onset.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

THE PARLEY.

Another chorus of _vivas_ announced that the guerrilla captain had
finished his oration, and that the attack was about to be made. We saw
the chief himself, with one or two others, advance in front of the line,
and head towards us, as if intending to lead the charge.

"Now!" muttered Rube, in a sharp quick tone, "guns ready, boys! no waste
shots, d'yur hear? Lead counts hyur--_it_ do. See! By the jumpin
Geehosophat, thur a gwine to ride right down! Let 'em kum on, and be
damned! Thur's one o' 'em won't git thie fur--I mout say two--I mout
say three i'deed. Durn the glint o' thet sun! Bill