The stranger’s rifle had been hurled from his grasp.
He felt himself borne down, and for a moment his struggles ceased.
“Will you surrender?” gritted the leader.
“Never!”
“On, Wildbird, on!”
Suddenly, with a herculean effort, the horseman freed his right arm.
An instant later a knife flashed in his hand.
Descrying a circle in the air it descended with lightning-like rapidity, severing at a single stroke the horse’s bridle.
At the same time the assailants staggered back, leaving the wounded and maddened steed free.
With a snort of defiance it bounded forward sending the baffled men right and left.