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Page 33
The grilling fire was getting too hot for the desert ruffians,
handy as they were with weapons and horses. Several, too, had been
hit or unhorsed, though the Overland party did not really know how
much damage they had done to the attackers.
"Shoot their ponies from under them!" commanded Hi Lang. "It's the
only way."
"No, no! Please, not that," protested Grace. "The ponies haven't
harmed us."
The guide shrugged his shoulders and, taking quick aim at a rider
who was jerking his rifle from the saddle boot, shot the fellow
out of his saddle.
Hi Lang's next shot downed a pony, its rider being thrown heavily
to the ground, where he lay stunned from the fall. Four men were
now down and a fifth, the leader of the party of ruffians, was
still in the water tank where Lieutenant Wingate had kicked him
and where the guide had then put him to sleep. The leader had long
since recovered consciousness, but, being unarmed, he wisely
decided to remain where he was, knowing very well that, were he to
try to reach his companions or his mount, he would be shot down.
There were now only three mounted men of the attacking party left
and these suddenly began galloping away from the water hole.
"Rifles!" called Hi.
Grace and Elfreda sped to their tent and quickly returned carrying
four rifles and ammunition. The guide had instantly divined the
purpose of the attackers in drawing off. They wished to get out of
revolver range of the Overlanders and then use their rifles on
them, but by the time the desert ruffians turned, facing the scene
of their late battle, Hi, Hippy, Grace and Elfreda were shooting
steadily with their rifles, pouring a hot fire into them.
One ruffian was seen to sway in his saddle and pitch to the
ground. One of his companions gathered him up, then, with the
wounded man across a saddle, the two remaining bandits galloped
away, leaving their fellows to whatever fate might be in store for
them.
"Cowards!" growled Hippy Wingate.
"No. Common prudence," answered the guide. "Help me get the
fellows who are down. Look out that they aren't playing possum.
Keep your gun in your hand and watch them. Mrs. Gray, will you
follow a short distance behind us, so that you may have all the
wounded men under observation?"
"Yes, Mr. Lang."
"If you see a suspicious move from any of them, shoot!"
"Yes, sir. Come along, Elfreda, your services probably will be
needed. Mr. Lang, you were hit. May we not do something for you
first?"
The guide shook his head and strode over to the water hole, into
which he peered.
"You stay where you are!" he commanded sternly, to which there was
no reply from the leader of the ruffians, who sat scowling up at
him. "Mrs. Nesbit! Watch that fellow and if he tries to get out,
drill him! He isn't fit to live anyway."
The two men, with Grace and Elfreda following, went out to disarm
and examine the men who had been downed. They found that two had
merely been stunned by falls, two others having been wounded in
shoulders and arms, with numerous bullet holes through their
clothing.
Elfreda examined their wounds and announced that none was
seriously hurt, but that the men ought to be taken where they
could have proper attention. Hi Lang laughed.
"Fiddlesticks!" he scoffed. "The only way you can kill this sort
of critter is to kill 'em. We'll fix 'em up and send 'em on. The
ones who got away will be waiting for 'em, so don't worry about
that."
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