He saw a rifle, on which hung a powder-horn and a bullet-pouch, standing against a bush.

He saw that he had already aroused the foe, and that he must stand a chase.

His first impulse was to turn around and ride back, in the direction whence he had come; but in that direction lay the thicket through which he could not ride rapidly, and so if he should take that course, he would lose the advantage which he hoped to gain from the fleetness of his particularly good horse.

Besides, in the thicket he must of course leave a trail easily followed.

Just beyond the group of Indians he saw the open fields, and he made up his mind at once that he would push his horse into a run, dash right through the camp of the savages, pick up the convenient rifle if possible, and reaching the open country make all the speed he could.