Not bloodless on their part had the fight been up to this time.
Most of them had received gashes more or less severe, and Martinez
the Gaucho and Cook lay dead at their feet.
Charley and Hubert, upon emptying their revolvers, had fallen back
and taken their carbines, and now stood with the reserve upon a
flat rock a few paces in the rear, all burning with impatience to
take part in the strife.
At this moment they were joined by the two Gauchos who had been
left with the horses, but who now, hearing the firing, had arrived
to take part in the fray.
At last Mr. Hardy judged that the time had come, and shouted:
"Take aim into the middle of the mass, and fire as quick as you
can, then all charge together. Now!"
In less than half a minute the four barrels of the Gauchos' guns,
and the thirty shots from the revolvers, had been discharged into
the densely packed throng; then the seven men leaped from the rock,
and with a cheer the whites threw themselves upon the Indians,
already recoiling and panic-struck by the tremendous and deadly
fire.
The Indians in front, surprised and confused, were mown down by the
long rifles like grass before the mower, and those behind, after
one moment's hesitation, broke and fled; in another two minutes the
fight was over, and the Indians in full flight to their village.
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