“Well,” said Dick, after waiting some moments for his companion to speak, “what do you say?”
“Charge through them or retreat.”
“Go right away?”
“Yes; we have our rations, and can make them last.”
“Camp out, and risk attacks during the night?” said Dick.
“Yes; that’s the worst of it. Then you advocate charging right through?”
“I didn’t say so,” said Dick; “but that seems the thing to do.”
“Yes,” said Wyatt, closing his glass and letting it fall to the extent of the slings. “We might gallop to that hillock and give them a salvo first.”
“Suppose they charged; they’d be upon us before we could limber up, and, even if we got away in time, we should only have tired the horses more and done no particular good. They only come together again like sand.”
“Words of wisdom, General Dick,” said Wyatt. “I tell you what—we’ll spoil that trap they have been setting for us by a feint. We’ll rest the horses as long as they will let us, and then move off to the left as if we meant to get round the other side of that palm-tree tope. They will send off half their men to intercept us, and as soon as they have got out of sight we’ll turn, right incline, and charge straight through the rest. They’ll never expect such an attack as that.”