They, too, deserved a chance to
escape.
Then he and Ned looked around for the fort, of which they had spoken,
and they found it beyond the pool in an opening which would have been
called a little prairie in the far north. In the center of this opening
grew a rather thick cluster of trees, and there was some fallen wood. A
rifle bullet would not reach from any point of the forest to the
cluster.
They drew up all the fallen wood they could find, helping to turn the
ring of trees into a kind of fortification, refilled their water bottles
from the pool, and sat down to wait, with their rifles and pistols
ready.
Ned felt a kind of relief, the relief that comes to one who, having
faced the worst so long, now knows that it has been realized. The
terrible chase had gone on for nights and days. Always the Lipans were
behind them. Well, if they were so fond of pursuing, now let them come.
By the aid of the dead wood they were fairly well protected from a fire
in any direction, and the light was sufficient for them to see an enemy
who attempted to cross the open. There was a certain grim pleasure in
the situation.
"They've run us down at last," said Obed, "but they haven't got us yet.
Before you scalp your man just catch him is a proverb that I would
recommend to the Lipans.
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