lled
smoking in the dark, and it was the crack of Bridge's carbine which
awoke the Americans to the fact that though the border lay but a few
miles away they were still far from safety.

As he fired Bridge turned in his saddle and shouted to the others to
make for the shelter of the ranchhouse.

"There are two hundred of them," he cried. "Run for cover!"

Billy and the Clark brothers leaped to their saddles and spurred toward
the point where Bridge sat pumping lead into the advancing enemy.
Mason and Mr. Harding hurried Barbara to the questionable safety of the
ranchhouse. The Mexican followed them, and Bridge ordered Sing back to
assist in barricading the doors and windows, while he and Billy and the
Clark boys held the bandits in momentary check.

Falling back slowly and firing constantly as they came the four
approached the house while Pesita and his full band advanced cautiously
after them. They had almost reached the house when Bridge lunged forward
from his saddle. The Clark boys had dismounted and were leading their
ponies inside the house. Billy alone noted the wounding of his friend.
Without an instant's hesitation he slipped from his saddle, ran back
to where Bridge lay and lifted him in his arms. Bullets were pattering
thick about them. A horseman far in advance of his fellows galloped
forward with drawn saber to cut down the gringos.

Billy, casting an occasional glance behind, saw the danger in time to
meet it--just, in fact, as the weapon was cutting through the air toward
his head. Dropping Bridge and dodging to one side he managed to escape
the cut, and before the swordsman could recover Billy had leaped to his
pony's side and seizing the rider about the waist dragged him to the
ground.

"Rozales!" he exclaimed, and struck the man as he had never struck
another in all his life, with the full force of his mighty muscles
backed by his great weight, with clenched fist full in the face.

There was a spurting of blood and a splintering of bone, and Captain
Guillermo Rozales sank senseless to the ground, his career of crime and
rapine ended forever.

Again Billy lifted Bridge in his arms and this time he succeeded in
reaching the ranchhouse without opposition though a little crimson
stream trickled down his left arm to drop upon the face of his friend as
he deposited Bridge upon the floor of the house.

All night the Pesitistas circled the lone ranchhouse. All night they
poured their volleys into th