XIV
ON THE DESERT WITHOUT WATER
The boys were frightened. Their hearts leaped into their throats, and
it was difficult for them to restrain an impulse to turn and run; but
a soldierly instinct brought them to a "ready," with eyes fixed upon
the probable enemy.
"Quick, Henry! shoot!" exclaimed Frank, intending to reserve his own
fire.
The younger sergeant raised his double-barrelled shot-gun to his
shoulder and pulled both triggers. Down went the sixteen Indians as if
the bird-shot had been fatal to all. The plain became in an instant as
objectless as it was a moment before.
"Load, Henry, and, backward, march!" said Frank, ready to fire
whenever a head showed above the grass, and at the same time moving as
rapidly as possible towards the camp-fire.
"How! how! how!" was chorused from the direction of the Indians, and
several naked brown arms were stretched upward, holding rifles
horizontally in the air.
"That means peace," said Henry. "They aren't going to fire. Let's
answer. How! how! how!"
"How! how! how!" Frank joined in, and at once the sixteen redmen
sprang to their feet, apparently none the worse for Henry's double
charge of bird-shot at short range.
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