He now ran to his horse, which was trembling in every limb and
struggling wildly to escape, soothed it by patting it, loosed its
bonds, sprang into the saddle, and went off at full gallop in the
direction by which he had come. He had not ridden very far before
he heard, in the still night air, the repeated sound of firearms,
and knew that the boys were upon the trail of the cattle. Mr. Hardy
had little fear of the Indians pursuing them; he felt sure that the
slaughter of the day by the new and mysterious firearms, together
with the effect of the rockets, would have too much terrified and
cowed them for them to think of anything but flight. He was,
however, much alarmed when, after a quarter of a hour's riding, he
heard a single sharp whistle at about a few hundred yards'
distance.
"Hurrah! papa," the boys said as he rode up to them. "They have
gone by at a tremendous rush--sheep and cattle and all. We started
the moment we saw your first rocket, and got up just as they rushed
past, and we joined in behind and fired, and yelled till we were
hoarse. I don't think they will stop again to-night."
"Did you see or hear anything of the Indians, boys?"
"Nothing, papa. When the first rocket burst we saw several dark
figures leap up from the grass--where they had been, no doubt,
scouting--and run toward the camp but that was all.
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