Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

The Indian Foray. 49 programme it came about—the careering maraud- ers divided into two lines and began to draw apart as though about to circle around them. It was an ancient trick, but fully as effective as in the days when the forty-niners were crossing the plains, exposed to the attacks of the prowling redmen. Old Sile laughed again, and there was a ring of scorn in his peculiar cachination, as though he glo- ried in an opportunity to pay off old scores, for he had in years gone by suffered much loss at the hands of just such thieves as these. As Cuthbert looked, guessing what was coming next, he suddenly saw each bronze rider throw him- self out of sight behind the body of his galloping pony, only a glimpse of his painted face being caught under the animal’s neck. | Then came a puff of smoke and the spiteful re- port of a gun. The bullet went over their heads, which was not to be wondered at, considering how difficult it must | have been to shoot at all under such peculiar condi- tions. Cuthbert had never in all his life been under fire before, and somehow he found himself involuntarily ducking his head, though not one of the others moved a muscle, which fact gave him a feeling of humiliation. By this time the Indians were riding around them on all sides, for Old Sile had drawn in his horse, knowing what must be done to beat the rascals on their own ground. “Company halt!” he sang out. Cuthbert drew frantically at his bridle and brought his horse on his haunches. He was eagerly watching to see what the others did, wishing to be in the same boat, and when they . CORNICE DOO ‘S C©