“We shall have a sleepless night, and must be prepared for the black devils’ mischief,” Smith said, surveying the force and comprehending their meaning.

“Do they often attack teams?” we asked of Smith, who, now that his cattle were safe, had regained all of his cuteness and colloquial powers.

“During all my freighting to the mines, this is only the second time the scamps have manifested hostility.  Once I got clear by giving them an ox, and thought I got off quite cheap at that.  But this time they appear to be serious; and if we get clear with a whole skin, may think ourselves lucky.  Some team ahead of us must have trespassed on their rights in an outrageous manner to render them as rebellious as they are.”

“I have a great mind to try the range of my rifle,” Fred said.  “I think that I can send a ball into their midst, and make them scatter to the bushes, instead of standing there and quarrelling among themselves.”

Smith measured the distance with his eye and shook his head.

“It’s over a half mile,” he said, “and I never yet saw the shooting iron that could do damage at such a distance.”

“Then look at one for the first time;” and as Fred spoke, he sighted a native, who appeared desirous of making an immediate attack, for he was gesticulating in the most absurd manner, and shaking his long spear at us as though trying to get at close quarters, where he could do instant execution.

The act of Fred was observed, and a yell of defiance greeted his hostile attitude.  Before it had died away, the sharp report of the rifle drowned their shrill screams, and then the conspicuous native, who had flourished his spear so threateningly, threw up his arms, and with a most unearthly yell, fell to the ground.

In an instant not a native, with the exception of the wounded one, was to be seen, and a stranger would hardly have supposed that the clump of bushes near us contained a couple of dozen human beings, who were watching every motion which we made, and speculating as to the best mode of putting us to death, and sharing the goods and provisions loaded upon the cart.

“An American rifle forever,” shouted Smith, who suspended his work of getting out a water keg, containing eighteen or twenty gallons, which he had taken the precaution to fill with water and place upon the cart, so that his animals and companions need not suffer with thirst during the long stretch across the prairies.

“A few more such shots as that and the black devils will retire in disgust, and we shall have the road free,” Smith continued, with an admiring look at his American friend.

“There is no use in wasting our powder by firing at random, and until the natives show themselves I shall rest, so as to be able to keep my eyes open to-night.”

Under the shadow of the cart Fred spread his blanket, and after assisting Smith to water the cattle, and taking a good drink myself, I joined him, and left Rover and the stockman to keep guard.