“He scented a party of Indians; they will be here in a minute or two. Heavens! how came I to overlook it?”
The exclamation was caused by the discovery that after firing at the dusky archer in the ravine, he had neglected to reload his rifle, a piece of forgetfulness for which Shagbark never would have forgiven him.
Alden drew a bullet from his pouch with which to repair the blunder, and then when he tried to force it down the muzzle, he made a terrifying discovery. He had failed to take the pouch from the body of Dick Lightfoot. His own bullets were too large for the bore of the smaller weapon, which was of no more use to him than a stick of wood!
CHAPTER XV
NOW FOR THE MAIL STATION
No wonder Alden Payne was rattled. Who wouldn’t be thrown into a panic by the discovery of his helplessness in so dangerous a situation?
Moreover, Dick Lightfoot’s revolver was with his body. Still the youth had his own small weapon which he carried at his hip, where he could draw it the instant needed. Besides this he had his hunting knife, which would be of little help in the circumstances. He might do something in the way of defense with his pistol, but of what avail against a party of Indians armed with rifles, or possibly bows and arrows? All they would have to do would be to remain beyond his range and “snipe” him at their leisure.
The only desperate hope which flashed upon him was that the red men had not seen him leap from the saddle and dash for the boulder. But even in that case, they could not fail to notice that the pony was riderless and they would understand why.
He tried to force the bullet down the barrel of the gun. In vain; then he savagely strove to chew it down to the right size. If he succeeded with one missile before he could compress a second into shape the crisis would be upon him.
He had just inserted the metal between his molars in the despairing effort to reduce the size of the same, when his hair almost lifted the hat from his head. From the direction of the trail came a guttural whoofing sound, its repetition showing that the cause was drawing nearer.