It reached the willow bluff like a faint echo. At the same moment the
moon arose and more clearly revealed Crusoe's cataleptic glare at the
Indian chief, who, being utterly unarmed, was at the dog's mercy. The
instant the whistle fell on his ear, however, he dropped his eyes,
covered his teeth, and, leaping through the bushes, flew over the
plains like an arrow. At the same instant Mahtawa, descending from
his tree, ran as fast as he could towards the village, uttering the
terrible war-whoop when near enough to be heard. No sound sends such a
thrill through an Indian camp. Every warrior flew to arms, and vaulted
on his steed. So quickly was the alarm given that in less than ten
minutes a thousand hoofs were thundering on the plain, and faintly
reached the ears of the fugitives.
Joe smiled. "It'll puzzle them to come up wi' nags like ours. They're
in prime condition, too--lots o' wind in' em. If we only keep out o'
badger holes we may laugh at the red varmints."
Joe's opinion of Indian horses was correct.
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