Robert’s heart almost stopped beating when he suddenly recognized the prostrate man as his brother Joseph.
There was not a second to lose. The Indian would surely be upon Joseph before he could raise himself from his fallen position and even should he be able to get up he would stand no chance of escape. If Joseph’s life was to be saved, it was Robert who must do it. But how was it to be done? He had fired the charge which had been in his gun and he had had no chance to reload. The bloodthirsty Sac was nearer to Joseph than he, and would evidently reach the spot first. The case looked desperate.
All of this happened in the twinkling of an eye. Robert rather felt than thought these things as he saw the Indian rushing toward his helpless brother. “The only relative I have left in the world,” thought Robert as, with a choking cry, he started forward. Glory was forgotten. Bravery was forgotten. The impulsive young pioneer remembered only that his brother was in terrible and immediate danger.
The Indian was now about ten yards from Joseph, who was striving desperately to regain his feet. Robert was at least twenty yards distant. He shouted to Joseph, but Joseph had already seen the Sac approaching and was doing his utmost to get out of the way. Robert’s cry did not warn him of his peril, but only served to bring a faint ray of hope into his mind that he might yet escape.
Robert saw instantly that it was out of the question for him to reach his brother before the Indian would be upon him. He stopped and started to swing his rifle about his head with some hazy idea of throwing it at his enemy. Before he could put this plan into execution, however, a strange thing occurred. Something flashed in the rays of the afternoon sun and with a cry the onrushing Indian suddenly threw up his hands and pitched forward, stumbling and tripping until he fell to the ground limp and helpless.
A tomahawk coming from some place in the tall grass had struck the Sac warrior full in the forehead and put an end to his fighting forever. So suddenly and so unexpectedly had this fortunate event taken place that neither of the two boys realized for a few moments just what had occurred. Joseph sank back upon the ground and Robert merely stood with open mouth and a dazed expression on his face, staring stupidly at the dead form of the Indian at his feet.