Despite Pilchucks orders, some of his men began to
fire.
Bullets whistled over Toms head and spanged from
the rockson each side of him.
But thesevanished before he could bring his rifle
into play. That darned herd comin back, said Pilchuck, uneasily.
For a few moments then Tom was deaf and blind to
the battle. The young fellar,though, is dyin, Im afraid.
Pilchuck and his followers,two and three abreast,
kept close to his heels.
Peep out mightycareful an look for an Indian. An
say, scout, spoke up Roberts, youre, shore forgettin oneimportant fact.
Tom was crawling as flat as a flounder, dragging a
heavy gun. You might get hurt, throwin agun that way.
By holdin high were in range right here, he
whispered, tensely. Grim, terrible, but exalting, and strangelymemorable of a vague
past! Many horses and strong hands made short work of thislabor.
But he could never see whether or not he hit an
Indian.
Tom heard no more bullets whiz up from direction of
the encampment.
Tom essayed to keep up with Bear Claws, but this
was impossible bycrawling. Pilchuck took a longsurvey with his
field-glass.
Hishands shook to spoil his aim and his face
streamed with cold sweat. Each man took at least two hundred loaded
cartridges.
Jude, theyre too smart to charge us, said a
grizzled old hunter.
But weve shore got to crawl up to the level.