Читать книгу The Trail of Black Hawk онлайн

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Suddenly Deerfoot stirred. He evidently had some scheme he wished to put into execution.

“Give Deerfoot hat,” he whispered to Joseph, who lay next to him.

Without hesitation Joseph did as he was told. Deerfoot pulled a strip of bark from the fallen tree and placed the hat upon one end of it, while he held to the other. Cautiously and slowly he raised the hat until it showed above their shelter. Immediately it was fired upon.

Deerfoot turned to his young friends and smiled grimly.

“I do that again,” he whispered. “When he fire, white boys jump to feet and fire too. We take him by surprise.”

“A fine idea,” exclaimed Joseph eagerly. “Are you all ready, Bob?”

“All ready,” replied Robert quietly. “Just give me the signal.”

The two boys crouched, guns in hand, ready to spring to their feet instantly. Deerfoot also prepared to do his part. He lay on his back and slowly raised the hat; it was a nervous moment for the three people behind the fallen tree trunk. They did not know whether or not their foe would be deceived by their strategy and they could not be sure that only one hostile redman lurked in the nearby bush. Day had now come, however, and it was high time for them to move on. In a short time that portion of Black Hawk’s band which had pursued them the night before might once more appear and then their escape would be hopeless.