TWO GOOD SHOTS
Peering cautiously out between the heavy undergrowth, Raven Wing saw the
two Indians, who had pursued Hawk Eye, crouching behind a boulder on the
opposite side of the open space. He realized that it would be impossible
for him to cross the open ground without being hit by an arrow, and he
also felt reasonably certain that as soon as they were joined by Slow
Dog, they would set off to find him, leaving the Medicine Man to prevent
Hawk Eye's escape from the cave.
While debating as to what might be the best thing to do, he looked
towards the cave and to his surprise saw Hawk Eye signing to him from
behind a ledge of rock that screened him completely from the view of the
enemy.
Answering the sign to assure his friend that he had seen him, Raven Wing
made a series of signs which were finally understood by Hawk Eye to mean
that he was to come out and expose himself to the view of the Indians.
Stepping out of the cave, he uttered a piercing war whoop and darted
back. Slow Dog and his comrades answered with a volley of arrows. This
was just what Raven Wing had expected, and before they could again fit
arrows to their bows, he dashed across the open space and slipped into
the cave, followed by Ohitika.
Angered at being outwitted by a boy, Slow Dog and the Chippeways rushed
forward across the open space, but before they had covered half its
distance, a bullet from Hawk Eye's gun brought one of the Chippeways
tumbling to earth. Without waiting to pick him up, Slow Dog and his
comrade sought the shelter of the bushes, where they lay concealed. From
the mouth of the cave the boys could see four canoes drawn up on the
beach. As Hawk Eye reloaded his gun, Raven Wing caught sight of an
Indian stealing down towards the canoes. Lifting the gun to his
shoulder, Raven Wing fired and the Chippeway fell face downward on the
sand.
"Good!" grunted Hawk Eye. "The odds are now with us. However, Slow Dog's
craftiness more than equals ours. If he sees he cannot get us, he will
try to make off with our canoes."
"But if he ventures on the beach, he knows he will be shot," remarked
Raven Wing.
"He will wait for darkness," said Hawk Eye.
"Darkness protects the rabbit as well as the fox," cried Raven Wing. As
he finished, a low exclamation burst from Hawk Eye's lips. "Look!" he
said. "Someone is stealing through the bushes!"
"The bodies of the two braves still lie upon the ground," said Raven
Wing. "Perhaps the brave we left for dead in the camp has recovered."
[Illustration: {Brave behind fallen tree.}]
For some time the boys kept their gaze directed toward the canoes, but
no second brave dared to venture toward them, although they lay only a
few yards distant from the edge of the timber. Slow Dog and his
companion were held at bay by the watchful eyes of the two boys. A
bullet would be their answer to any attempt to reach the canoes.
The canoes now became the chief object of interest to all concerned.
Slow Dog realized that if the boys should succeed in reaching the
canoes they could escape. This, of course, they could not hope to do as
long as daylight lasted nor even when night should arrive, unless it
were a very dark one, since he and his comrade were armed with bow and
arrows. On the other hand, he knew, now that the boys had possession of
the guns, that it would be almost certain death to venture on the beach
so long as there was sufficient light to enable Hawk Eye to aim with his
gun.
"Let them make the first move," thought the crafty Medicine Man.
In the meantime Hawk Eye and Raven Wing were making plans for the coming
of darkness. As the sun's last rays faded away and the night began to
deepen, Hawk Eye moved close to the entrance of the cave. Adjusting his
gun to his satisfaction, he marked its position exactly on the rock so
that, when the canoes should be entirely hidden from sight, he could
make reasonably certain of hitting any object directly in front of
them. And in order to show Slow Dog that he and Raven Wing were still
on the alert, he shortly aimed at the canoes, which were now invisible,
and fired.
[Illustration: {Tepee.}]