LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 25 



give the niggurs h ! " rushed from his concealment, and 

 with La Bonte by his side, yelling a tierce war-whoop, 

 sprang upon the startled savages. 



Panic-struck with the suddenness of the attack, the 

 Indians scarcely knew where to run, and for a moment 

 stood huddled together like sheep. Down dropped Kill- 

 buck on his knee, and stretching out his wiping -stick, 

 planted it on the ground at the extreme length of his arm. 

 As methodically and as coolly as if about to aim at a deer, 

 he raised his rifle to this rest and pulled the trigger. At 

 the report an Indian fell forward on his face, at the same 

 moment that La Bonte, with equal certainty of aim, and 

 like effect, discharged his own rifle. 



The three surviving Indians, seeing that their assailants 

 were but two, and knowing that their guns were empty, 

 came on with loud yells. With the left hand grasping a 

 bunch of arrows, and holding the bow already bent, and 

 arrow fixed, they steadily advanced, bending low to the 

 ground to get their objects between them and the light, 

 and thus render their aim more certain. The trappers, 

 however, did not care to wait for them. Drawing their 

 pistols, they charged at once ; and although the bows 

 twanged, and the three arrows struck their mark, on they 

 rushed, discharging their pistols at close quarters. La 

 Bonte threw his empty one at the head of an Indian who 

 was pulling his second arrow to its head at a yard's dis- 

 tance, drew his knife at the same moment, and made at 

 him. 



But the Indian broke and ran, followed by his surviving 

 companion ; and as soon as Killbuck could ram home 

 another ball, he sent a shot flying after them as thej 

 scrambled up the mountain-side, leaving in their fright 

 and hurry their bows and shields on the ground. 



The fight was over, and the two trappers confronted 

 each other : " We've given 'em h ! " laughed Killbuck. 



" Well, we have," answered the other, pulling an arrow 

 out of his arm. " Wagh ! " 



"We'll lift the hair, anyhow," continued the first, "afore 

 . the scalp's cold." 



