"It's horses," Pink exclaimed under his breath, as faint sounds came down the
draw. "Maybe--"
"Horses--and an Injun laying along the back of every one, most likely,"
Applehead returned grimly. "An old Navvy trick, that is--don't let 'em fool
ye, boys! You jest wait, 'n' I'll tell ye 'when t' shoot, er whether t' shoot
at all. They can't fool ME--now I'm tellin' yuh!
After that they were silent, listening strainedly to the growing sounds of
approach. There was the dull, unmistakable click of a hoof striking against a
rock, the softer sound of treading on yielding soil. Then a blur of dark
objects became visible, moving slowly and steadily toward the camp.
"Aw, it's just horses," Happy Jack muttered disgustedly.
Applehead stretched a lean leg in his direction and gave Happy Jack a kick.
"They're cunnin'," he hissed warningly. "Don't yuh be fooled--"
"That's Johnny in the lead," Pink whispered excitedly. "I'd know the way he
walks--"
"'N' you THOUGHT yuh knowed how he jingled his dang bell," Applehead retorted
unkindly. "Sh-sh-sh--"
Reminded by the taunt of the clever trick that had been played upon them the
night before, the Happy Family stiffened again into strained, waiting
silence, their rifles aimed straight at the advancing objects.
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