The chieftain now rode his pony more than a hundred yards in a straight line toward the group. His animal walked slowly and his rider continued to shout his taunts.
Lieutenant Decker, holding his horse well in hand, advanced the same distance toward Geronimo.
“What do you intend to do?” sternly asked Freeman.
“I’ll take care of myself,” was the quiet reply.
“I don’t know whether you will or not,” added Freeman, with no little misgiving.
Decker continued his guarded advance until like his enemy, he judged he had gone far enough, when he too halted.
“I’ll go as far as he dare,” he muttered; “if he will only come far enough to be beyond the support of his men, I’ll meet him and we can have it out between us.”
Geronimo had ceased his taunting shouts, and, with his horse perfectly motionless sat like an equestrian statue with his gaze upon this young David. Then he did a singular thing.
All four, while watching him, discovered that instead of holding his pony stationary, as at first, he was backing him. The well-trained animal, keeping his nose toward the foe, was stepping slowly backward, the movement of his legs and the change of position being clearly seen by all.