“Did thet Injun gal—”
“Whar’s Hulet?” interrupted Revel, sternly. All glanced around, and several spoke at once.
“Why ’e was here not a minit ago, ’cos—”
Further speech was interrupted. A rifle cracked not far away, and one of the group, grasping his breast, fell to the ground! The report was succeeded by a defiant shout from Hulet, who had disappeared in the direction of the lake.
“It’s all over with me, boys,” gasped the stricken man. “Go on—all of you, an’ take the traitor, and avenge my death.”
CHAPTER III.
TWO LESS.
Exclamations of horror burst from the rangers, and the next moment all were rapidly plunging through the bushes after Hulet. For the time being no thought, no desire, was in their minds other than to avenge the death of their comrade, Lew Burns.
In a few moments they cleared the dense bushes surrounding their bivouac and caught a glimpse of the traitor. He was some forty yards away, running rapidly. Three rifles spoke in quick succession, but the rascal kept on, unscathed. The three who had fired, stopped to reload, while Will Revel and Dan Hicks kept on.
To strike a man running at full speed through a densely-wooded forest, bounding aside and deviating on the course every moment, is no easy task, and this the rangers well knew.
“Keep y’ur shot, Dan!” cried Will Revel to the one running at his side. “Thar’ll be a better chance to strike ’im soon.”