They were not more than half a mile away, and in plain view of Tom and his party, though the two forces had not yet seen our friends.
"They're going to fight!" cried Tom.
And the next moment the two bodies of natives came together in a mass, the enemies hurling themselves at each other with the eagerness and ferocity of wild beasts. It was a deadly battle.
Chapter XIII The Desertion
"Say, look at those fellows pitch into one another!" gasped Ned.
"It's fighting at close range all right," commented Mr. Damon.
"If they had rifles they wouldn't be at it hand to hand," spoke Tom. "Maybe it's just as well they haven't, for there won't be so many killed. But say, we'd better be thinking of ourselves. They may make up their quarrel and turn against us any minute."
"No--never--no danger of them being friends--they are rival tribes," said San Pedro. "But either one may attack us--the one that is the victor. It is better that we keep away."
"I guess you're right," agreed Tom. "Lead the way, San Pedro, and we'll get out of sight."