nce you told me 'bout how she missed me. I ken see her right now just
like I was there. I'll bet she's scrubbin' the kitchen floor. Maw was
always a-scrubbin' somethin'. Gee! but it's tough to cash in like this
just when I was figgerin' on goin' home."

Billy couldn't think of anything to say. He turned to look up and down
the canyon in search of the enemy.

"Home!" whispered Eddie. "Home!"

"Aw, shucks!" said Billy kindly. "You'll get home all right, kid. The
boys must a-heard the shootin' an' they'll be along in no time now. Then
we'll clean up this bunch o' coons an' have you back to El Orobo an'
nursed into shape in no time."

Eddie tried to smile as he looked up into the other's face. He reached a
hand out and laid it on Billy's arm.

"You're all right, old man," he whispered. "I know you're lyin' an' so
do you; but it makes me feel better anyway to have you say them things."

Billy felt as one who has been caught stealing from a blind man. The
only adequate reply of which he could think was, "Aw, shucks!"

"Say," said Eddie after a moment's silence, "if you get out o' here an'
ever go back to the States promise me you'll look up maw and paw an'
tell 'em I was comin' home--to stay. Tell 'em I died decent, too, will
you--died like paw was always a-tellin' me my granddad died, fightin'
Injuns 'round Fort Dodge somewheres."

"Sure," said Billy; "I'll tell 'em. Gee! Look who's comin' here," and
as he spoke he flattened himself to the ground just as a bullet pinged
against the rock above his head and the report of a rifle sounded
from up the canyon. "That guy most got me. I'll have to be 'tendin' to
business better'n this."

He drew himself slowly up upon his elbows, his carbine ready in his
hand, and peered through a small aperture between two of the rocks which
composed his breastwork. Then he stuck the muzzle of the weapon through,
took aim and pulled the trigger.

"Didje get him?" asked Eddie.

"Yep," said Billy, and fired again. "Got that one too. Say, they're
tough-lookin' guys; but I guess they won't come so fast next time. Those
two were right in the open, workin' up to us on their bellies. They must
a-thought we was sleepin'."

For an hour Billy neither saw nor heard any sign of the enemy, though
several times he raised his hat above the breastwork upon the muzzle of
his carbine to draw their fire.

It was midafternoon when the sound of distant rifle fire came faintly to
the ears of the two men