California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman | Page 7

as much as possible to shield the
animals from the shots, and to prevent their breaking out of the
inclosure in their fright, when the fight began. Dummies representing
human-beings were scattered here and there about the fires, having the
appearance of man asleep, and the rope ladder being placed so that the
trees kept the firelight from revealing it; the women and children were
taken up to the bluff and placed in a secure retreat a few yards back in
the timber. By degrees the men, acting for the benefit of any watching
red- skin eye that might be upon them, would throw themselves down
upon the blanket beds about the fires and then crawl away in the
darkness to gain the rope ladder leading to the bluff. Reynolds and a
few others lay longer, threw more wood upon the fire and retired to the
few tents, to crawl out from the rear of them and seek safety upon the
bluff. Then not an eye, other than those of the smaller children, was
closed in sleep. The boys of twelve even had been brought forward to

aid in the first volley, and so had a number of the women. All the
firearms -- and there was a large supply in the train -- had been laid
along upon the edge of the bluff ready for use. Soon all was as quiet as
the grave in the camp and none would have believed but that peaceful
slumber reigned supreme. Slowly the hours dragged along, and then the
watchers upon the bluff saw a dark form glide through the line of
wagons into the inclosure. Then another and another, until several dogs,
I aroused by their presence, and which none of the emigrants had
thought to carry upon the bluff with them, began to bark furiously and
to fly at the intruders. Then arose a wild, thrilling war-cry, and a
hundred savage throats answered it, as the redskins sent a cloud of
arrows flying into the camp at the supposed sleepers and into the tents,
and rushed forward to begin the red work for which they had come.
The burning fires showed their buckskin-clad forms, painted faces, and
gaudily bedecked heads, and as they reached the first line of blankets,
yelling like demons, Captain Reynolds shouted: "All together! Fire!"
Two-score rifles were discharged as one weapon, almost, and full half
as many red-skins dropped dead in their tracks. Then the line of the
bluff seemed to be on fire, so constant were the rattling of the
emigrants' rifles and revolvers, and the women and boys reloading,
there was kept up a continual discharge upon the surprised red-skins,
who, meeting no foe to grapple with and falling by the dozen under the
merciless bullets of the pale-faces, broke and ran at all quarters. "You
men follow me!" cried Captain Reynolds, as he descended the rope
ladder and crossed the fallen tree-bridge to the camp. Quickly he was
obeyed, and dashing over the dead and dying Indians lying here and
there, he gained the wagon line of breastworks and poured a hot fire
upon their flying foes, who seemed utterly panic-stricken at the terrific
punishment they had met with, where they had expected an easy
victory, plenty of scalps and quantities of booty. But afar off on the
prairie was seen the flash of a rifle, then other flashes and reports, as
though coming from revolvers, and then came to the ears of the
emigrants a rumbling sound like distant thunder. The flying red-skins
heard it too, and there were wild yells of fury, that proved something
had gone wrong, and the next instant, along the trail leading by the
camp, dashed a large drove of mustangs, saddled and bridled, but
riderless. And in their rear rushed a snow-white steed, with a rider upon

his back, hooting and yelling like mad as he sped along. Away past the
camp rushed the drove, and as, the single rider in their midst went by,
he shouted: "I'm Joe, and I've captured their whole outfit of ponies.
"Look sharp, for they may be back on you, and I'll return in a couple of
days to guide you to Sunset Settlement." And on he passed, out of sight,
driving the mustangs at full speed, and having by his grand capture
dismounted old Bad Blood and his entire band.

CHAPTER VI.
JOE'S LITTLE GAME.
JOE, whatever time he had been upon the border, or whatever scenes
he had passed through, before meeting with the Reynolds' emigrant
train, had certainly been able to become a thorough prairieman, He
could match Indian cunning any time, was able to take care of himself,
and seemed to rather enjoy the thought that he was regarded as a spook,
or evil spirit. Though wholly