“So have I,” said Guy; “but it will do to pepper them with if they come nearer.”
“But small shot will not go through their shields,” I remarked.
“Then we must aim at their legs,” answered Bracewell, calmly.
“Don’t you think it would be prudent to mount the horses and gallop off before they again attack us?” asked Guy.
“They will probably be on the look-out should we make the attempt, and surround us before we get to any distance,” said Bracewell. “Better try and hold our own here, where we have the shelter of the trees, only don’t throw a shot away.”
This discussion was cut short by a loud yell uttered by our savage enemies, who, the next instant, again came into view, and advanced with their spears poised. We had barely time to spring behind the trees, when a shower of spears flew through the air, some passing close to us, others sticking in the opposite side of the trunks. We immediately replied, but could not see whether our shots took effect. The spears now fell so thickly, that we could scarcely venture to show ourselves even for a moment to fire in return. By the sound of the savages’ voices we judged they were getting nearer, and now we all felt that we should have to sell our lives dearly, unless we could manage to mount our horses and gallop away; but it would take some time to saddle them, and the natives were not likely to allow us many moments to do so. Bracewell, however, desperate as was our condition, tried to keep up our spirits.
As far as we could judge, the savages showed no intention of abandoning their object. Just as we expected that they would make their final rush, a loud cooey was heard, and I caught the sound of the trampling of horses’ feet. We cooeyed in return again and again. The savages must have heard us, as well as the cooeys in the distance; for after vainly hurling another shower of spears, they turned and scampered off as fast as their legs could carry them, their flight hastened by the peppering we gave their backs with small shot. Almost immediately afterwards Hector and the dominie, accompanied by half a dozen troopers, came galloping up along the path close to the water-hole. As they appeared, without waiting to exchange words, we threw our saddles on our horses’ backs and mounted ready to join them in the pursuit of our foes.