Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/370

of the pursuers, but the bark or "skin," (for Instead of being made of birch bark it is covered with buffalo skin, so why not say the "skin" is taking water); but again the mother-wit of our young, Indian serves him, as he has observed that three of the punctures where the water, is oozing through can be stopped by placing their feet over them, one of the prostrate forms covers the fourth hole, and observing one is conscious, his hand is taken and placed over a leak, which he comprehends fully, and unnecessarily hard does the wounded man press the place as if he fully realized the danger, and more than that, for without a word he reaches for the bows and quivers, which belong to Wasbashas and his friend, and thus keeps them from getting wet, for he, although dazed, in his plight had confidence that the young men were the most likely to do the proper thing. And while this was taking place, the situation was sized up and the young leader made up his mind as to the course to pursue, so he whispered to his fellow paddler to ease up so the svrlmmers couj.d get closer, but not to stop propelling the boat. When the two foremost pursuers get pretty close, at a given signal the bows and arrows are taken up, having been handed to them by the wounded youth, our leader telling his companion to aim at the nearer ones and he would the next; so like a flash the arrows sped, to both lodge in the bodies of the foremost, then as swift as a breach-loading rifle flew arrow's at the other two, in fact all of them, and one or two of the pursuers hardly had power enough to give their death yell, so it was plain to be seen that they were done for. And now there were six