The finger of Mr. Brainerd was pressing the trigger, and the hammer with its cumbrous flint was on the very eve of , when he suddenly released the pressure, and gave to a half-chuckle. Those who were gazing along the line of direction indicated by the gleaming rifle-barrel, saw at the point where the Seneca was expected to appear, something which looked very much like the of that interesting person.  
It was the top-knot and crown of an Indian, with several feathers projecting slightly beyond the wall of rock, the appearance suggesting that he was himself for a spring.
 
This was the belief of the , and, confident that at such a short distance he could not miss, he was about to fire, when there came a flash of suspicion that a sharp, but by no means original, trick was being tried on him.
 
The action was not that of a real Indian while trying to peer around a dangerous point, and most probably was intended to draw the fire of the sentinel.
 
As soon as the bullet should leave the ready rifle, the waiting would either leap or run the few intervening feet, and reach the vantage-ground before the other two rifles in the company could be aimed and fired.
 
"Why don't you shoot?" whispered Habakkuk, "you've got him dead sure."
 
"That isn't an Indian," was the response, "but there will be one in sight pretty soon. All of you keep well back out of the way, where there is no danger of being hit, and leave this fellow to me."
 
The situation of the settler was trying. Lying flat on his face, with his gun cocked and toward a certain spot, he watched with such that in the fading light his sight threatened to fail him. Odd, figures danced before him, and sometimes rock, wood, and sky were so together, that he had to glance in another direction, until he could recover his visual strength.
 
The wily Seneca, having failed to draw his shot, was now likely to attempt some other .
 
Furthermore, the of Wyoming was still going on, and this formidable body had not the patience to shut themselves out from their share in it.
 
In one sense it was tying themselves up to remain for hours, a little company of , and, therefore, they were likely to display less to the passage of time than is the rule with their race.
 
Such was the conclusion of Mr. Brainerd, and we may as well say he was cor............