VIII
BAD HEARTS IN THE WAY
"Des sauvages (Indians)!"
Thus Baroney shouted, pointing, from where he had checked his horse on the edge of a little rise overlooking a dip in the trail.
They all had been marching two more days, and had covered about forty more miles. This made seven days' travel, counting the two days of meat camp, and eighty-five miles, since the Big Blue Mountain had first been sighted. Now it and the lesser mountains were much plainer.
But here were the Indians, sure enough. The lieutenant had rather been expecting them. Yesterday the fresh tracks of the two men, again, had given warning. So the column were marching close together.
The Indians, on foot, were running toward the column, from some trees on the river bank, at the right.
"Close up, men," the lieutenant ordered.
"Close up, close up! Look to your priming!" ordered Sergeant Meek.
