De Rudio jumped down the creek bank and hid in an
excavation while a hail of bullets spattered the water ahead of him and
raised a dozen little clouds of dust at his feet.
So heavy had this volley been that the Indians decided that the bullets
had done their work, and a wild yell broke from them.
Suddenly the yell changed to another sort of outcry, and the firing
abruptly ceased. Peering out, De Rudio saw Captain Benteen's column
coming up over the hill. He began to hope that his rescue was at hand.
But in a few minutes the soldiers disappeared and the Indians all
started off after them.
Just beyond the hill was the noise of a lively battle, and he made up
his mind that Reno's command had rallied, and that if he could join
them he might be saved.
Working his way softly through the brush he was nearing the summit of
the slope when he heard his name whispered and saw three of his own
company in the brush. Two of them were mounted. The horse of the third
had been killed.
The three men remained in the bushes, lying as low as they could and
making no sound. Looking out now and then, they could see an old Indian
woman going about, taking scalps and mutilating the bodies of the
soldiers who had been slain. Most of the warriors were occupied with
the battle, but now and then a warrior, suspicious that soldiers were
still lurking in the brush, would ride over in their direction and fire
a few shots that whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
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