Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 262: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CHAPTER XIX. SUNSET RANCH. The noise and confusion increased as the aroused refugees, believing old Standing Elk and a party of his braves had descended upon their live stock as hawks pitch upon a dovecot, and were stampeding the horses, endeavored to outdo one another in shouts and directions that only served to make the hubbub more furious. Karl was conscious of a wild thrill of exultation as he considered that this tremendous explosion in the camp of the outlaws had been wholly and solely the work of himself and the young Indian buck. For two boys, they were certainly making their mark in the world at an early stage. No doubt the aroused desperadoes would have been more angry than alarmed, had they been given an inkling of the truth, since a couple of tender kids were not apt to inspire a great deal of respect in the minds of such toughened and case-hardened char- acters; but they had heard Little Buckshot whoop . like a whole swarm of Sioux braves, and jumped to the conclusion that a dozen, at least, were con- cerned in the bold raid. If the excited horses could manage to push and crowd through the opening in the stockade all would be well; there would not be a single nag left for pursuit. Karl had the utmost faith in his comrade, but, of course, the young Sioux was not beyond making a mistake. Perhaps he crowded the horses, in his eagerness to rush them through. At any rate, no one could blame him for wishing to make haste, since the set- ConniclooOckks.۩