cover. In one swift motion he brought his rifle
up, aimed, fired , then went back to cover as three bullets ripped the
tree he was hiding behind. On
the hill above them, an enemy soldier put his hands up to his face,
tried to stand, then fell between the two trees.
12 Another man off to the right called, "By the group of bushes shaped
like a "V". See them? Twenty steps down, three to the right, behind the
boulder."
13 "Got him!" answered Little Dog.
14 For several minutes he waited, his eyes never moving from his mark.
The man rose to fire, but Little Dog was just a bit faster. The man
just fell over and never moved. Again, bullets ripped at his tree as he
pulled back, but they were the last rounds this enemy would fire that
day. They had had enough. Four shots and four of their people dead was
just too much. They withdrew.
15 "My Lord, boy, you're good!" one of the men cried, coming up, and
putting his hand on Little Dog's shoulder. "I've never seen
marksmanship like that!"
16 "He took an awful risk, though," argued Red Serpent. "He's far too
important to us to lose! But I'll have to say it, too- well done, boy!
You acted like a veteran under fire. We need another volunteer for that
injured man. Let's get moving. If we don't get to the village and get
set up soon, all our efforts may be for nothing. The enemy attack can't
be far away."
17 So they marched on. When they reached the village Little Dog could
see why Red Serpent had chosen it. Below them, to the east, the swamp
started. To the west, rough hills and the canals. The enemy would seek
this passage. It was the