SATANK ARRIVES 



gratified to notice it halt, and a moment later the 

 two familiar reports of Sharp's carbines assured 

 me that they, Tom and Jack, had got my warning 

 and had fired the first shots. 



"Good!" I shouted when I heard their rifles. 

 "Ten to one an Indian saddle or two was emptied 

 by those shots!" 



Then a straggling rattle of firearms, with now 

 and then the report of a Sharp's, indicated that 

 the fight was on. The bobbing up and down of 

 the heads of galloping Indians passing between me 

 and the wagon showed that the redskins were 

 circling around the team; and as they passed to 

 right and left of the wagon they seemed to be 

 keeping a respectful distance. 



The firing slackened. Just then some mounted 

 men and animals came running in my direction, 

 and as they came near enough to be distinguish- 

 able through the glass I made out that the two 

 team mules had gotten away from Tom and Jack, 

 after being unhitched from the wagon, and were 

 now making for camp, chased by a number of 

 Kiowas. The Indians soon caught the mules and 

 led them back. 



The firing had now nearly ceased. Of the 

 wagon I could only see the white cover. The In- 

 dians seemed to have formed a circle around my 

 comrades and were probably waiting for night to 

 enable them to crawl up near enough to make their 

 rifles effective. This they could do in the dark- 



253 



