The Pirates of the Prairies

e troop commanded by Red Cedar. This band, guided by Valentine Guillois, was composed of Curumilla,

nchman looked inquiringly round him, and

had better hold a council, and settle a pla

u know that all our hopes rest on you:

reatures in the desert to seek shelter under the shade of the trees, so we w

hacendero answ

a large clearing traversed by one of those many nameless streams which intersect the prairie in every direction, and which, after a course of a few miles, go to swell the rivers in which they are lost. A dense dome of foliage offered the tr

tine sat down at the foot of a tree, making his friends a sign to join him. The three whites immediately acquiesced, while Curumilla, according to

around us. We shall have to fight not only with the white men or redskins we meet on our road, but also contend with hunger, thirst, and wild beasts of every descript

ank you," Don Migu

whatever nature it may be, will be powerful enou

nced of it,

and perils, is perfectly familiar to me; the trail I am about to foll

to?" Don Miguel inter

ble to endure the rude existence to which you are about to be condemned: in the first moment of grief you bravely rushed,

e," Don Migu

ut ten miles behind you; return to it, and leave to us the care of restoring your child to you, if you do not feel capable of braving, without giving way, the innumerable dangers that menace us. A sick man, by delaying our pursuit, would not onl

ined with his head bowed on his chest, and with frowning eyebrows. When Valentine ceased, th

were dictated by the friendship you bear me. The observations you have made to me, I had already made to myself;

aughter in the hands of bandits, without attempting all means to deliver her; still, it was my duty to make th

aid, with a laugh, "I a

the war we carry on is completely different from that of

ecially as, with the slight forces we have at our

s; but, believe me, five determined men are more dangerous than

gladly. "Cuerpo de Dios, those accurse

nation proudly calls itself the 'Queen of the Prairies,' and its warriors are terrible enemies. Unicorn w

General gaily remarked. "Wh

e shook

o: the Pirates of the Prairies and the

," Don Migu

scalp hunter is too well used to a desert life not t

it will be a general w

Navajo village; I have done some slight services to Yellow Wolf, the principal chief; we must proceed to him before

the consequence

ed, "remember that in the country where we n

men bowed

ispensable to us: with his sup

la interrupted the hunter. "What

chief answer

anxiously sto

id, as he hurriedly arose,

oment; but the noise which had struck the hunter's practised ear now reached them. It was the furious galloping of several horses, w

and soon noticed a man mounted on a horse lathered wit

ed in a low voice. "We cannot

"We are playing a dangerous

e man is of our own col

appens, we must not allow him to be massacre

w himself up haughtily in his saddle, and, while galloping at full speed, turned from time to time to fire his rifle into the thick of his enemies. At each discharge a war

said with admiration; "

exclaimed, "it would be

Don Miguel could not

e smiled

it," he said

ed into t

e shrubs. These Indians are Apaches; when they come wit

. There was a moment of supreme expectati

g at intervals their formidable war cry. They came up at headlong speed, preceded about one hundred yards by the man they we

the thicket which concealed those who were about to

ded in a low voice. The rifle

l-hunter added. "Every bu

ed-a minute an

er suddenly shou

arged, and the same n