130 THE ADVENTURES OF 



catch any suspicious movement on their part. 

 Scarcely had I started toward the wagon than 

 one of them made a rush toward me, but I was 

 watching him, and turning suddenly around 

 stopped him effectually. The last act of his 

 life was to cover his face with his hands and 

 cry out "ow, ow, ow." I then motioned for 

 the rest to come to him, so that I would have 

 them close together and could cover them 

 easily with my gun. They came forward, 

 leaving their guns hanging on their saddles, in 

 pretence of friendship. When within about 

 about fifteen paces I ordered them to halt, 

 which they did, but expressed a desire to shake 

 hands with me, and kept saying '^How, how, 

 how." I found it rather a delicate affair to 

 manage, as they could, if they chose, have 

 taken me in, but they were sure that some of 

 them would pay the penalty with their lives, 

 and they did not care to make an open 

 attack, and wanted to get me at a disadvan- 

 tage, and, while I could have readily shot 

 one or more of them down, I was afraid to do 

 so, because I did not know what effect it would 



