The only reply to this, was by the trapper suddenly bringing his gun
to his shoulder and firing. An agonizing screech, as the savage threw
himself in the air, showed that the shot had not been in vain.

Rather curiously at the same moment the report of a gun in the ravine
reached their ears, followed by the same death-shriek.

'They ain't sleepin' very powerful down thar,' was the pleased remark
of the trapper, as he leisurely reloaded his piece, while the boy
remained in that nervous state, awaiting the permission of Baldy to go
spinning away over the prairie at a rate that would very quickly carry
him beyond all danger.

But the trapper was in no hurry to give the ardently desired
permission. He seemed to have a lingering affection for the place,
which prevented his 'tearing himself away.'

The boy's timidity was not in the least diminished, when several
return shots were fired, the bullets pinging all around them.

'My gracious, Baldy, let's get out of this!' he instantly pleaded,'
starting the man himself.

'Go about fifty feet,' was the reply, 'but not any further.'

It may be said that the steam man fairly leaped over this space, and
somewhat further, like a frightened kangaroo, and even then it would
not have halted had not the trapper given peremptory orders for it to
do so.