One of the bullets struck it, and the poor animal reeled and staggered for a moment before falling to the ground. There was no need of this. The Comanches ought to have known that the speed which the hunter had got out of his horse was its last efforts, and in all probability it would have dropped down after reaching the trees. Chauncy, with an active leap, managed to get off from the horse without getting his horse upon his legs. He did not stop an instant after putting his feet upon _terra firma_, but made tracks for the trees, using all the speed he could command. The Indians dashed after him, but they were too late to catch him. He reached the trees, and, jumping quickly behind one, turned and presented his rifle at the foe. There was only one man, and twenty Comanches are not in the habit of stopping when this is the case. So the Indians kept on, although they felt sure that some were rushing to their death. Crack, went the rifle of the young hunter, and obeying the sharp and decisive summons, the Indian nearest Red Buffalo started on his way to the red-man’s “happy hunting-grounds.” This was quick work, but the rest of the Indians did not hang back. The hunter’s rifle was empty now, and they must give him no time to load up. They did not know that Chauncy had not the least idea of loading up his gun. Crack, crack, went the only revolver Chauncy had with him, the other being in the holster at his saddle-bow. Again the deadly revolver sounded and still another Indian threw up his hands and fell from the back of his horse. Chauncy was making deadly work among the foe with his single revolver. At length it was empty, and the Indians all around him on foot, they having thrown themselves from their horses. With his discharged revolver, Chauncy gave one of the red villains a hard blow in the stomach and then he had to defend himself. Bravely and manfully did he fight against the crowd of Indians, but with all his courage he knew that there was no chance of escape. At length he was overpowered by numbers, thrown down and his hands bound behind him. His knife was red with the blood of several of the Comanches, and the wounded ones cast glances of hatred at him as their movements caused their cuts to hurt. The Comanches then looked round upon the scene. Five men were dead, while others were wounded more or less, and as they wanted to get away from this spot as soon as possible, the dead were buried, and then mounting Chauncy on one of the slain warriors’ horses, the whole band set off. CHAPTER IV. THE TWO WIZARDS. Chauncy swept the prairie with his eyes in the direction the Donna had gone, but she was not in sight. A feeling of joy went through him, for he knew that she had escaped. The Indians made straight for their village, but had not gone many miles before darkness came on.