He seemed to have complete control over his braves, and as band after band joined him in answer to the signal smokes he sent up and the scouts1 he sent out, until he had gathered a large party, this was very remarkable2. For discipline in an Indian tribe is as much to be expected as it is in a newly recruited regiment3 of volunteers, where every private feels as big as his captain, and sometimes bigger, having no responsibility to settle him down.
But how long this kind treatment would last the poor girls did not know, for the chief and his brother often spoke4 of them as their squaws to be, when the present war trail was at an end.
For now, with his force augmented5, the Ute chief was keener than ever to hunt down his tribal6 enemies, the Snakes, and kill and scalp all of their war party.
When he got within sight of the plains, upon a trail that led nearly back to where he had emerged from them when he came upon his expedition, only one great mass of hills intervening, the eyes of Bear Killer7 flashed with a glad fire.
“Now the paleface girls shall see how the Ute warriors8 can fight!” he cried. “The Snakes are seeking us, and they shall find us soon enough.”
He pointed9 away to a plain at the foot of the hill slope where they were, and the girls saw that a large band of Indians were indeed there, apparently10 well mounted and armed.
The keen eyes of the chief had detected at the instant he saw them that they were not of his tribe, and he knew that the Snakes would be sure to keep the warpath until the quarrel was fought out. They would be just as keen for battle as he was himself.
“We are strong now, and we will make a big fight,” said Bear Killer. “We will not leave a single Snake dog alive to bark. The paleface girls shall see us fight. They shall see what brave men they will have for their husbands.”
Bear Killer now chose four braves, and gave them strict orders to guard the young girls and to allow no harm to come to them, but to keep them safe until the fight was over. He posted them on the side of the hill beneath a lofty cliff, down which a small stream wound its silvery way in crystal beauty.
From this place they could look in safety over all the plains below, and the coming fight would be decided11 before their eyes.
Perhaps there was, without his knowing it, a small vein12 of chivalry13 in the savage14 nature of Bear Killer—hence his desire to do battle and distinguish himself before the eyes of the beautiful girl whom he destined15 to share his lodge16.
The girls, guarded by braves who did not understand English, or, at least, appeared not to do so, spoke to one another freely as the Utes in column began to descend17 the hills, deploying18 farther down as they were discovered by the Snakes.
“If our horses had been left we might escape now,” said May, whose mind was ever busy in studying how to get away from her captors.
The wily chief had had all the horses taken out of reach of both the captives and his enemies, excepting only those which he and his warriors rode as they went down to fight.
The battle soon commenced.
The Utes, forming a scattered19 line as they went nearer to where the Snakes were massed to receive them, closed but little more when within rifle shot; but adopted the usual plan of circling around at a gallop20 and picking off an enemy at every chance.
The Snakes soon met this maneuver21 by extending their lines and charging here and there till the mêlée became so universal that the girls—now anxious witnesses of the battle—could hardly tell one band from the other, or know which was victorious22.
All they could see was bands of mounted Indians whirling here and there, striking and firing at one another in terrible confusion. Clouds of dust rose constantly as they rode over some dry and sterile23 piece of ground.
The braves who guarded them, in spite of the exciting nature of the fight, stood stolid24 and calm at the posts assigned to them in front of the girls, for the rear was a wall of solid rock. So far as the expression on their faces went, it seemed as if it mattered nothing to them how the fight went.
May would have questioned them if she could have done so, for she thought that their experienced eyes told them which side was so far victorious, but unfortunately she could not speak their language.
Suddenly one of the braves turned, and his face showed anxiety. He seemed to have heard something to alarm him, for his eyes ranged back to the rocks in their rear.
Almost at the same instant a sharp volley from unseen riflemen came rattling25 from the back, and the four braves were stretched out dead on the ground.
A band of white men, only six in number, with evil,[161] repulsive26 faces, which indicated that they were ruffians of the worst type, came rushing forward from among the rocks at the point where the stream came trickling27 from above.
“Gals! White gals—and beauties, my boys!” shouted their leader, as he sprang forward.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
scouts
|
|
| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
regiment
|
|
| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
Augmented
|
|
| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
tribal
|
|
| adj.部族的，种族的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
killer
|
|
| n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
vein
|
|
| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
chivalry
|
|
| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
destined
|
|
| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
lodge
|
|
| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
descend
|
|
| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
deploying
|
|
| （尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
gallop
|
|
| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
maneuver
|
|
| n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
victorious
|
|
| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
sterile
|
|
| adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
stolid
|
|
| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
rattling
|
|
| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
repulsive
|
|
| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
trickling
|
|
| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |