from previous-

-he  counted  his  bullets  , there  were  twenty  in his  rounds, if  he  was  a  good  shot  and  luckily  each  bullet  made  a  perfect  hole  in the  dogs  and  five  men  he  could  count  himself  a  free man, but  he  heard  and  saw  the  barking  dogs   on leash  pulling  their  masters  approaching  excitedly  towards  his  hiding  spot