And when I looked back I could see some Injuns already at the shack, and starting to build a fire outside.
In a tight fix, a man is pretty apt to get scared till all hope is gone.

Then he is pretty apt to get cool and calm.

That was my case.
I couldn't go ahead--there was those hosses coming along the trail.

I couldn't go back--there was those Injins building the fire.

So I skirmished around till I got a bright star right over the trail head, and I trained old Meat-in-the-pot to bear on that star, and I made up my mind that when the star was darkened I'd turn loose.