Page:The Boy Land Boomer.djvu/201

Rh dozen steps of them. Now he stopped and the frown upon his ugly countenance deepened.

"Did white boy hear what Yellow Elk said?"

"I did."

"Does white boy want to die?"

"Does Yellow Elk want to die? I can shoot as straight as you."

The words had scarcely left Dick's mouth than there came a clear click.

The redskin had fired point-blank at the lad, but the gun had failed to go off, the weapon being an old one the Indian had found at the fort—a gun some soldier had discarded as useless.

Following the click Nellie uttered a scream. Then came a crack as Dick fired, and Yellow Elk uttered a yell of pain, having received a painful wound in the side.

With clubbed gun the Indian now rushed in and a hand-to-hand struggle followed. Dick fought valiantly, but was no match for the tall redskin, and a well-directed blow laid him senseless upon the prairie grass. "You have killed him!" screamed Nellie. She was about to kneel at Dick's side, when Yellow Elk hauled her back.

"White dove come with me—boy no killed—be right by-an-by," said the redskin.