The trail of the Loup; being a history of the Loup River region . of abad case by forcing his way into the tent, where after some foraginghe succeeded in finding cold victuals enough to satisfy a voraciousappetite. Then with a sigh of the well filled he threw himself upon ahandy bunk, and was all but drifting into dreamland when, hark! mufiledhoof beats in the distance! With a leap he is on his feet and outside thetent, where a hasty survey of the field lends a vision of several Indianwarriors on horseback, dashing furiously toward the tent, arms wavingand well burnished rifle-barrels brandish
The trail of the Loup; being a history of the Loup River region . of abad case by forcing his way into the tent, where after some foraginghe succeeded in finding cold victuals enough to satisfy a voraciousappetite. Then with a sigh of the well filled he threw himself upon ahandy bunk, and was all but drifting into dreamland when, hark! mufiledhoof beats in the distance! With a leap he is on his feet and outside thetent, where a hasty survey of the field lends a vision of several Indianwarriors on horseback, dashing furiously toward the tent, arms wavingand well burnished rifle-barrels brandished on high. This was a momentto try men at home on the plains, to say nothing of a weary stranger in astrange land, suddenly roused from sweet dreams of home across the sea!But if these were savage red skins on murder intent, our camp defendercertainly made ready to sell his life as dearly as possible. His old navypistol, of 50 bore, could surely be relied on to dispatch at least one of the foeand then the Lord would preserve the just! A handy wagon box made an. Christian Frey. camp and his companions not COMING OF THE PIONEERS 93 excellent barricade. Back of this protection, then, Mr. Frey crouched,frantically signalling to the oncoming horsemen to halt. Then as badluck would have it, his ancient weapon exploded, all unpremeditated on hispart, and sent its missile whistling dangerously close to the foe. Here was indeed a predicament! The only weapon of defense suddenlymade useless, for we can scarcely count the folding knife which never hadseen more serious service than to carve tobacco! And right here the Indiansmake a diversion. They dash apart to take him on the flanks. They arealmost upon him now. The horses labored breath is audible above thedin. The empty pistol may yet make an excellent weapon in a hand-to-hand struggle; so, calmly bracing himself for the final, inevitable crash,when—what means this? Panting horses suddenly reined to theirhaunches, two astonished pale
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