The words were startling enough, and the sudden dropping of a dozen bombshells among the unfinished dwellings2 of New Boston could not have created greater consternation3, emphasized as they were by the towering form of the hunter and steed, who looked as if they had been fired from the throat of some immense Columbiad, and had not as yet recovered from their bewilderment. There was some system, however, in the movements of the pioneers, for there was ever present in their thoughts the very danger which had now come upon them so suddenly.
In the structure which was nearest completion were placed the dozen women and children, while the other houses that were in a condition to afford the means of defense4 were taken possession of by the men, gun in hand, ready to defend themselves to the last. Fortunately enough, the horses happened to be corraled within the inclosure, so that, unless the defense should utterly5 fail, there was little danger of their being stampeded by the Indians.
While these hurried preparations were going on, the hunter remained seated upon his mustang, looking down upon the pioneers with a gathering6 calmness, as though he were a general watching the evolutions of his army. Now and then he anxiously gazed off over the prairie, his manner showing that he was mentally comparing the speed of the approaching Apaches with that of the labors7 of his friends.
To Fred Munson, perched in the top of the lofty tree, the whole scene seemed like a hurrying panorama9 of a dream. He never once thought of his own personal danger, in the intensity10 of his interest in what was going on before his eyes.
The hunter had scarcely checked his mustang when the lad saw the Apaches appear upon a ridge11 some distance behind. It was less than two miles away, and they all dashed over at the place where the avant courier had come at his break-neck pace; and as soon as they were all over, and stretching away in the direction of the settlement, Fred had some chance of estimating their number.
“There must be a thousand of them,” he muttered, in a terrified voice. “They will murder us all—none can get away.”
His imagination, however, intensified12 matters. The Apaches numbered several hundred, and, armed to the teeth as they were, brave, daring, and mounted upon the best of horses, they were as formidable a party as if they were composed of so many white desperadoes of the border. A month before they would have walked over this party of pioneers; but there is no teacher like experience, and in the long journey across the plains, marked by innumerable skirmishes with the red-skins, the settlers had acquired a coolness and steadiness under fire which was invaluable13 in such emergencies as this.
But Simpson still maintained his position, glancing from the settlement below him to the approaching Apaches, with that quick, nervous motion which showed only too plainly that he felt a crisis was at hand, and he could delay only a few moments longer.
It was a thrilling sight, the hurried preparations of the pioneers, and the swift approach of their assailants. The latter came in no regular order, but swept along like so many Centaurs14, at first well together, but, as they approached the valley, gradually separating and spreading out, like a slowly opening fan, until the crescent was several hundred yards in breadth, and it looked as if they intended to surround the settlement.
Such being their apparent purpose, the hunter speedily saw that it would not do to stay another second. He had come to warn the whites of their danger, and now that it had burst upon them, he emphasized his good intentions by dashing down the valley, and, leaping from the back of his mustang, took his place among a dozen defenders15 who were gathered in the building with the women and children.
His horse was covered with foam16 and sweat, for his master had ridden like Paul Revere17, and he needed the rest that was now given him. He possessed18 extraordinary intelligence, and Sut knew that he could be thoroughly19 depended upon in case matters got mixed, and a stampede was attempted by the assailants.
There was no dilly-dallying. The most serious kind of business impended20, and all were forced to prepare for it. In a twinkling, as it seemed, the hurry, bustle21, and confusion suddenly ceased. Everything settled down into quiet, and the defenders, with their loaded rifles, calmly awaited the assault that was soon to be made.
As the Apaches neared the valley, they gradually slackened their speed, but all reached the margin22, from which they could look down upon the pioneers, with their steeds upon a gallop23, and then, without checking them, branched still further apart, and, speeding down the slope, began the battle forthwith.
In an instant the sharp crack! crack! of rifles was heard from different directions, as the Apaches opened fire upon the whites, who showed an equal readiness in replying. The Indians never allowed their steeds to rest. They were constantly in motion, back and forth24, round and round, circling here and there, seemingly at times in inextricable confusion, but with a certain system, as shown in the evolutions of a large party upon a stage, and with the result of never interfering25 with one another's efficiency.
Some of the Apaches, in the very wantonness of their skillful horsemanship, threw themselves from side to side upon the backs of their steeds, firing under the neck or belly26 with as much accuracy as if from the saddle. None of them were furnished with the regulation saddle; some had blankets, while the most were mounted bareback. Their skill was little short of the marvelous. Again and again, one of the red-skins would make a lunge over the side of his animal, as though he were going to plunge27 headlong into the earth; but, catching28 his toe over the spine29 of his horse, he would sustain himself apparently30 by no other means, while he kept up his fusilade. When his horse wheeled, so as to expose the rider to the fire of the whites, the Indian would quickly swing over the other side, where he would continue the same demonstrations32.
Thus it was that within five minutes after the Apaches came down in the valley, the settlement was surrounded by the several hundred, who were circling back and forth, and sending in their shots, whenever the opportunity presented itself.
The wood to which frequent reference has been made, it will be remembered, was situated33 some distance from the settlement, and, as Fred Munson was perched in a tree upon the other side, many of the gyrating horsemen were frequently shut out from his view by the intervening trees; but enough was constantly in view to keep his excitement up to the highest pitch, and to cause him to forget his own prominence34 as a target.
As has been already said, the settlers, from behind their intrenchments, were prompt in returning the fire of their assailants. The effect upon persons who had never been brought in collision with Indians would have been to bewilder and terrify them. It is very probable that such was one of the principal objects of the Apaches in making their attack as they did; but it failed utterly in that respect. Carefully avoiding any exposure of themselves, they popped away right and left, the reports of the rifles mingling36 together, while the warriors37, as they tumbled to the ground here and there, showed how effectual the defense of the pioneers was.
The Apaches scarcely expected such a vigorous defense, and, after losing several of their best men, they widened their circle so as to avoid such a close range, and fired more seldom, but with greater care.
New Boston was a peculiarly built, or rather laid out, city. If Caleb Barnwell committed an absurdity38 in attempting to plant a settlement in the valley of the Rio Pecos, when the entire surrounding country was hostile, he showed some wisdom in the manner in which he conducted matters after the attempt was made. The town was in an irregular circle, with a grassy39 court in the centre, in which were pitched their horses.
Knowing how indispensable these animals were to men in such circumstances, there could be but little doubt that the Apaches would make a desperate attempt to stampede them, and the whites were therefore on the look-out for such an effort. Not only Sut Simpson, but Barnwell and a number of the principal men, held fire after the first repulse40, so as to meet such an essay at the very instant it was attempted.
The Apaches edged away some distance, under the galling41 fire of the pioneers, until the watchful42 hunter saw them hurriedly massing on the slope above. He knew the meaning of that the moment he perceived the action.
“Be ready! they're coming for the animals!” he shouted, in a voice so loud that the words were distinctly heard by Fred Munson from his perch8 in the tree.
All those who held empty rifles hastily reloaded them, and the others, raising the hammers of their weapons, fixed43 their eyes upon the hideously44 painted forms, which resembled so many demons31 about to sweep down upon them. There was barely time for preparation, and in another minute the horde45 came rushing down the slope, like a mountain torrent46, their objective point being the square where the horses were secured. Before they could reach them, however, the settlers poured in their most murderous volleys, bringing many a glaring red-skin to earth, wounding a number of their animals, and creating such a panic that the foremost swerved47 off to the right and dashed up the valley, followed by the others, while the property of the whites remained uninjured.
The first attack of the Apaches resulted in a repulse, and that, too, when led by Lone48 Wolf; but the peril49 was not past. That war-chief had learned the situation fully35, and there was no danger of his repeating this blunder. The next time he was sure to succeed.
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1
bugle
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| n.军号，号角，喇叭；v.吹号，吹号召集 | |
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2
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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3
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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4
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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5
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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6
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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7
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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8
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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10
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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11
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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12
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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14
centaurs
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| n.（希腊神话中）半人半马怪物( centaur的名词复数 ) | |
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15
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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16
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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revere
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| vt.尊崇，崇敬，敬畏 | |
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18
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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19
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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impended
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| v.进行威胁，即将发生( impend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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22
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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23
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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24
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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26
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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27
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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28
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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29
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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30
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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31
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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32
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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33
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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prominence
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| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
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35
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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36
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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37
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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38
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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39
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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40
repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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41
galling
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| adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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42
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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43
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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44
hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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45
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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46
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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47
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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49
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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