Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/167

 course which promised to bring them within easy range. Their extreme sensitiveness to scent and sound was familiar to Shagbark, and he knew they would turn aside before coming very near.

The buck detected his danger a minute later. In running from one of the ogres that strode through the country on two legs, he was leading his charges directly upon another.

In the same instant that the new peril flashed upon him, he veered abruptly to the right, still skimming the prairie with amazing speed.

“Now!” whispered Shagbark, pressing the trigger of his weapon.

There was only a second or two between the reports, and it is enough to say that each shot was perfect in its way. Like all their species, the antelope ran quite a distance after being mortally smitten.

The third was far beyond reach before either could reload his piece. Jethro would have fired had not the new turn of affairs thrown him out of range of all the animals. Seeing the two fall, he trotted forward with a huge grin on his ebon countenance. Allowing the