Ahead of him, on both sides and behind him was a confused mob of panic-stricken horsemen. The blood-curdling yells of the Indians sounded constantly over the prairie, as the men sped onward in their attempt to escape a massacre. Into Sycamore Creek they plunged. Coming out on the other side they kept on in mad disorder, until they had reached the clump of trees where their camp was pitched. They did not stop there, however, nor did they seem to have any thought of checking their flight.
Every man in the expedition seemed intent on putting as much space as possible between himself and the yelling pursuers, who were now pressing them so closely.
“Fools,” thought Joseph to himself, as they passed the camp. “Why don’t they stop here? We could defend this place against ten times our number. With the trees for protection and the Indians still on the open prairie we could pick them off at our leisure.”
No one else seemed to share Joseph’s views, however, or if any one did he did not try to put the plan into execution. On they sped, becoming more scattered and more demoralized every moment. Many men had been killed and Joseph himself had seen several fall from their horses. As far as he could determine no one tried to oppose the Indians either. A few shots had been fired at first, but since that time every man seemed to be more interested in the fleetness of his pony than he did in offering any resistance to the pursuers.
As some of the ponies were much swifter than others the volunteers were soon strung out in a long line over the prairie. To his dismay, Joseph suddenly noticed that man after man was passing him and leaving him behind. He could not be sure whether or not the shouts of the Indians sounded closer, but he was greatly alarmed to see himself being outdistanced by so many of his comrades.
His pursuers were not yelling as much as they had been. That they had not given up the chase, however, was manifest by the fact that above the pounding of the horses’ hoofs could be heard the frequent bark of the rifles. Joseph knew that it would be a long time before the Indians would relinquish such an opportunity to avenge themselves upon their enemies, the Americans.
He could see that his pony was tiring fast and that his predicament would soon be desperate unless something speedily occurred to aid him. It was only a question of time before his horse would break down under the strain and then the young pioneer’s case would be almost hopeless. Joseph raised his head and glanced about him.