“Then we’ll have to fight!” observed Broswick, coolly.
Suddenly the air was filled with fierce howls and yells.
“You boys git in the back part of the machine,” cautioned the hunter. “We men will attend to the redskins. Maybe they are only off on a holiday junket, account of bein’ paid off by the Government. In that case they may let us alone. But they might be ugly, an’——”
Just then a bullet, with an angry zip, passed over Broswick’s head.
“They’re out fer business an’ not fun!” he exclaimed. At the same instant he threw up his rifle and fired. A howl of pain came in answer, and one Indian fell from his horse.
“I only took him in the leg,” said the hunter, grimly. “No use killin’ any if we can avoid it.”
Jerry, Bob and Ned sank down in the tonneau. Nestor and the hunter lined up in front of the auto and stood with ready weapons. Professor Snodgrass, with a revolver, which Nestor had given him, seemed more afraid of the weapon than of the Indians.
Then, with savage yells, the band of redskins, who, as it afterward developed, had gone on a rampage from their reservation because they were dissatisfied with the Government rations, closed around the auto. They fired their guns off as fast as they could load them.
But, either because they were poor shots, or because they didn’t want to hit the adventurers, the Indians did no damage. Several bullets came uncomfortably close, and one or two grazed the auto, but no one was hurt.
Then [the savages], with whoops and yells, [began circling about the machine.] Around and around they went, riding their ponies at top speed. Suddenly, as if in response to some signal, they withdrew quite a distance, but still hemmed the travelers in a circle.