It seemed, indeed, well out of the race.
The greasers were completely scattered. The Steam Man went flying about the prairie picking them off by twos and threes.
Every shot fired from the cage was deadly.
In face of such a withering fire the greasers could not stand their ground.
They broke in wild confusion for the cover of the hills.
In the open the Steam Man was too much for them.
It could have whipped an army on a plain of good size, for it could easily keep out of the way while a most deadly fire was kept up.
In short, the Steam Man put to rout the entire party of greasers.
They fled in the wildest confusion to the cover of the hills.
But the Steam Man was all the while pounding at their heels.