Don't go any nearer, boys; no doubt there are
many of their best shots hidden in the grass."
"We could scatter the cattle with a rocket, papa."
"Yes, we could, Hubert, but we should gain nothing by it; they have
got men by their horses, and would soon get the herd together
again. No, we will keep that for the night. Halloo! to the right,
boys, for your lives."
Not a moment too soon did Mr. Hardy perceive the danger. The chief
of the Indians, expecting another attack, had ordered twenty of his
best mounted men to separate themselves from the main body, and to
hide themselves in a dip of the ground near the place where the
first attack had taken place. They were to allow the whites to
pass, and were then to follow quietly, and fall suddenly upon them.
Complete success had attended the maneuver; and it was fortunate
that the party had no firearms, these having been distributed among
the main body with the cattle, for they were within forty yards of
Mr. Hardy before they were seen. It was, in fact, a repetition of
the maneuver which had proved so successful in their attack upon
the cattle.
They were not immediately in the rear of Mr. Hardy, but rather to
the left. As Mr. Hardy and his sons turned to fly, a number of
Indians sprang upon their feet from among the grass, and discharged
a volley of guns and arrows at them.
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