Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

256 Sunset Ranch. ished fastening the bearskin on the back of his un- willing, dancing pony. They all bent their ears to catch the sound to which Little Buckshot referred. “Horses!” said Karl, quickly. “Come from above. Too bad, not all get clear of corral. Now chase us,” grunted the Sioux, guess- ing, with wonderful instinct, that those of the men who could find mounts were swooping down to as- certain the meaning of the vidette’s mad bellowing, and must, therefore, soon learn the truth and be after them, post haste. Karl knew what this meant—a hot pursuit, per- haps a running battle, and in the end their being brought to bay. | They must take advantage of every second of time, since the outlaws naturally knew the ground much better than the young Indian, and were thus in a position to take advantage of many a crook and turn that would save a few furlongs. They urged their ponies on as fast as the dan- gerous nature of the ground would permit, and seemed to be making good time, so that Karl was quite encouraged, until the Indian, with his native. sagacity, called a halt in order to determine whether the pursuit were still kept up, as their own steeds made so much noise it was impossible to discover this fact while on the full jump. | Judging from the increased clearness of the noises in their rear the foe was bearing down with a venge- ance. Not only had they kept up the pursuit, but were perceptibly gaining. Then Karl knew the game was up. By degrees they would be overhauled, simply be- cause they knew less about the trail than those who thundered in their rear. And, if overhauled, what then? He shut his teeth hard together, after the manner ConnicloOokks.€©