grinned suddenly. “Many scalps.”
Fergus smiled brightly. “I say, this is exciting! A bit of sport.”
Clay said sharply, “This is no game, Fergus.” It seemed natural that he would take charge, and he began to speak rapidly. He noticed that Moriah had come out of the house along with Clinton, and he waited until they were close enough to hear his words. “We’ve got to make them think this place is deserted. We’ll all get under cover where we can’t be seen.
They’ve got to think nobody’s here.”
“And what then, Clay?” Clinton said.
His eyes were big, and his face was pale.
“We’ll let them ride in. They may send a couple of advance scouts, but if they don’t see anybody, they’ll wave the rest of the troop in.”
“What’s the plan, Clay?” Julie asked.
“I’ll knock the officer out of the saddle. Nobody shoots until then.”
“Without warning? That’s not sporting!” Fergus protested.
“It’ll give them time to understand we’re serious. I’m telling you, Fergus, this is no game. We’d better get them all. As soon as you hear my shot, everybody take a man out. Be sure you don’t shoot the same man twice because it’s got to be quick. If they get away, they’ll bring the rest of the army boiling back here.” He paused, then ran his eyes over the group. “Well, there’s me and Clinton. You Fergus and your man, that’s four. Three Comanches—that makes seven of us. I wish we had more.”
Jerusalem said at once, “I can shoot as good as most men, and so can Julie. That makes nine.”
“I can shoot, too,” Moriah spoke up. “Zane’s been teaching me, so we have ten.”
“I don’t think you women ought to get involved with this.”
Jerusalem caught his eye and said, “What do you think will happen to us if we don’t stop them?”
Clay knew exactly what was on her mind, and he held her gaze for a moment.
Finally, she said impatiently, “Don’t argue with me, Clay.”
Clay laughed. “All right. I’m the general here. I’m going to place you all where you can’t be seen, but where you can get a clear shot. I’m not sure we’ve got enough muskets.”
“No problem there, old boy,” Fergus said. “I’ve got five sporting rifles besides my own. Should be able to blast the blighters with no trouble, eh?”
The afternoon shadows were beginning to fall as Clay placed his people in position, but the azure sky was marked by diaphanous clouds. He had thought it all out carefully, and though Clay sometimes seemed lackadaisical, now he moved with decision. In the back of his mind was the knowledge that if his decisions were bad, they would all die. But he let none of this show in his expression. “Moriah, I want you and Clinton upstairs. Each of you take one of the windows up there, but don’t let yourself be seen. Don’t poke your muskets out until the right time.”
“All right, Clay,” Moriah said and turned to go.
“I want to stay down on the ground, Clay,” Clinton said. “I ain’t sure I can shoot so good shootin’ down.”
“You can’t afford to miss, Clinton. Now, don’t argue with me. Get on up there and be sure you don’t let yourself be seen.” He did not wait but turned to say, “Julie, you and Jerusalem take the two windows on the first floor. You heard what I said to Moriah and Clinton. If they see a sign of a weapon, they can pull back, surround us, and we won’t have a chance.”
“All right, Clay,” Jerusalem said. “Come along, Julie.”
“Fergus, why don’t you and James take the barn.”
“Where are you going?” Fergus asked.
“Right over there at that smokehouse. Remember now. You wait until I fire the first shot before you cut down on them.”
“What about my Indian friends?”
Clay had been thinking about the Comanches. He looked at the three who were standing there regarding him, all holding their rifles. “I never saw a Comanche that could be seen if he doesn’t want to.” He smiled.
Fox, the
Fergus smiled brightly. “I say, this is exciting! A bit of sport.”
Clay said sharply, “This is no game, Fergus.” It seemed natural that he would take charge, and he began to speak rapidly. He noticed that Moriah had come out of the house along with Clinton, and he waited until they were close enough to hear his words. “We’ve got to make them think this place is deserted. We’ll all get under cover where we can’t be seen.
They’ve got to think nobody’s here.”
“And what then, Clay?” Clinton said.
His eyes were big, and his face was pale.
“We’ll let them ride in. They may send a couple of advance scouts, but if they don’t see anybody, they’ll wave the rest of the troop in.”
“What’s the plan, Clay?” Julie asked.
“I’ll knock the officer out of the saddle. Nobody shoots until then.”
“Without warning? That’s not sporting!” Fergus protested.
“It’ll give them time to understand we’re serious. I’m telling you, Fergus, this is no game. We’d better get them all. As soon as you hear my shot, everybody take a man out. Be sure you don’t shoot the same man twice because it’s got to be quick. If they get away, they’ll bring the rest of the army boiling back here.” He paused, then ran his eyes over the group. “Well, there’s me and Clinton. You Fergus and your man, that’s four. Three Comanches—that makes seven of us. I wish we had more.”
Jerusalem said at once, “I can shoot as good as most men, and so can Julie. That makes nine.”
“I can shoot, too,” Moriah spoke up. “Zane’s been teaching me, so we have ten.”
“I don’t think you women ought to get involved with this.”
Jerusalem caught his eye and said, “What do you think will happen to us if we don’t stop them?”
Clay knew exactly what was on her mind, and he held her gaze for a moment.
Finally, she said impatiently, “Don’t argue with me, Clay.”
Clay laughed. “All right. I’m the general here. I’m going to place you all where you can’t be seen, but where you can get a clear shot. I’m not sure we’ve got enough muskets.”
“No problem there, old boy,” Fergus said. “I’ve got five sporting rifles besides my own. Should be able to blast the blighters with no trouble, eh?”
The afternoon shadows were beginning to fall as Clay placed his people in position, but the azure sky was marked by diaphanous clouds. He had thought it all out carefully, and though Clay sometimes seemed lackadaisical, now he moved with decision. In the back of his mind was the knowledge that if his decisions were bad, they would all die. But he let none of this show in his expression. “Moriah, I want you and Clinton upstairs. Each of you take one of the windows up there, but don’t let yourself be seen. Don’t poke your muskets out until the right time.”
“All right, Clay,” Moriah said and turned to go.
“I want to stay down on the ground, Clay,” Clinton said. “I ain’t sure I can shoot so good shootin’ down.”
“You can’t afford to miss, Clinton. Now, don’t argue with me. Get on up there and be sure you don’t let yourself be seen.” He did not wait but turned to say, “Julie, you and Jerusalem take the two windows on the first floor. You heard what I said to Moriah and Clinton. If they see a sign of a weapon, they can pull back, surround us, and we won’t have a chance.”
“All right, Clay,” Jerusalem said. “Come along, Julie.”
“Fergus, why don’t you and James take the barn.”
“Where are you going?” Fergus asked.
“Right over there at that smokehouse. Remember now. You wait until I fire the first shot before you cut down on them.”
“What about my Indian friends?”
Clay had been thinking about the Comanches. He looked at the three who were standing there regarding him, all holding their rifles. “I never saw a Comanche that could be seen if he doesn’t want to.” He smiled.
Fox, the
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