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Many others had been cut down and added to the breastwork. A deep brook ran at the foot of the hill on which the leaders sat. About the slopes of this hill and another, a little distance away, sat hundreds of Indian warriors, all in their war paint, and other hundreds of their white allies, conspicuous among them Johnson's Royal Greens and Butler's Rangers. These men made but little noise now.
"But if we are not Rogers' men, we are Rangers of the forest," cried Stark, who was leader of the party. "We can fight; we are trained to the exercise of arms. We will push on to this Colonel Armstrong, and what aid so small a band can give him that we will give." "He will welcome any help from bold men willing to fight," was the answer they got.
How he kept goal in this great match, and dozens of others, is still fresh in the memory both of old players and spectators. He is the only man on the active list who played ten years ago, and had the distinction of appearing against England twice and Wales three times. From the Rangers he joined the Q.P. about six years ago. ~Thomas Vallance.~
Wherever he was, at Gibraltar or Simla or Cairo or at the Rangers' dépôt in Sussex, he was sent for and consulted. Once having gained a reputation for skill in handling barbaric potentates, he knew how to make the most of it, both abroad and in Whitehall.
As the State advanced, the authorities enlisted small companies of men called Rangers. The citizens' posse soon gave way to this organized service. The companies, few in number at first, were gradually increased until the State had over a dozen companies in the field. These companies numbered anywhere from ten to sixty men.
A few days later, Humphrey and Julian, fully equipped with instructions, introductions, money and other necessaries, left the city, ready for their homeward voyage; and in another week the small but hardy band of Rangers, with their plain and meagre outfit, but with stout hearts and brave resolves, said adieu to those they left behind, and started westward for that debatable ground upon which a bloody warfare had to be fought to the bitter end.
Thereupon ensues one of those hand-to-hand encounters that are so rare in recent war, and that are the sorest test of valor and discipline. Now rides forward Captain Waldemar, chief of the rangers and a half-breed Indian, who, seeing Percy, recognizes him as an officer and engages him in combat. There is for a minute a clash of steel on steel; then the nobleman falls heavily to the earth dead.
"There's our ford," said Juan, our half-blood trailer, pointing to the slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. We were Texas Rangers. It was nearly noon of a spring day, and we had halted on sighting our destination, Comanche Ford on the Concho River.
"Who's that?" cried one of the men, pointing to a rider galloping toward them. The newcomer approached rapidly, covered by their weapons, and flung himself from his pony as he dragged it to a halt beside the group. "Steve Fraser," cried Duffield in surprise, and added, "He's an officer in the rangers." "Right, gentlemen. Come to claim my prisoner," said the ranger promptly.
In a moment more its real master has hold of the bridle-rein, his shout of joy answered by a whimper of recognition. Seeing how matters stand, the Rangers hasten back to get possession of their horses; others make for those of the fallen lancers, that now in affright are rearing and straining at the end of their trail-ropes in a vain endeavour to break loose. For neither can Hamersley wait.
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