The women who dared to peer out through the wagon wheels grew pale as death at their near approach.
The men feared that this meant a determined assault, and they grasped their weapons firmly.
But the guide knew the tactics of the people he had contended with all his life.
When they had approached to within the distance named, they spread out in equal numbers to the right and to the left, and coursed away on either hand of the wagons.
“That is to see the entire strength of our fort,” said Mustang Max. “They won’t care much about tackling the concern, that’s my private opinion, but I may be mistaken.”
“They greatly outnumber us,” said one of the men.
“But we are inside of a barricade,” said the guide. “We have the advantage of being able to shoot from cover, while they must ride upon us in the very face of a bullet, as one might say, and they are not likely to do that unless the night covers them.”
“And do you think they will hang on until night if they don’t dare tackle us in broad daylight?”
“I certainly do,” said Mustang Max. “In fact that’s their regular way of doing the business. Look at them now.”
The Indians had formed into four different parties, and had come to a halt on the plain.