rocks,
zigzagged from this side to that of the ravine that was not precipitous
enough for a canyon.

We urged our horses to the limit of their strength, and they were
perfectly willing. Jim was in the lead and his unerring quickness of
instinct guided him in finding the best trail.

The storm was darkening down the mountains before us and the thunder was
rolling from height to height. The gray rain was sweeping down from the
summits it seemed to us as if in a solid wall.

The ravine now broadened into a sort of a valley with high mountain
sides partially clothed with pines, in some places very thick, and on
the upper slopes were great granite boulders.

We saw above us now a conical hill, several hundred feet high, with a
growth of pine upon the slopes and crowned with great rocks. It was half
a mile distant and near the center of the valley.

"There is the place for us," said Jim, "if we are brought to bay."

"It looks to me as if we were going to stand these beggars off," I said,
"until we can cross over the mountains to our camp."

"Yes, but you never can tell in this country what is going to happen,"
said Jim.

We caught occasional glimpses of our pursuers down the ravine but they
had not gained much on us. We skirted the base of the conical hill and
had gone on for a short distance; it was growing dusky under the shadow
of the storm, when a zigzag flash of lightning revealed the slope above
us with startling distinctness.

"See what's ahead," I cried, for Jim was looking over his shoulder at
the Indians following us.

A party of braves were trailing down the upper slope.

One thing and only one thing was left for us to do. Instantly we turned
our horses squarely around and made for the hill we had just passed.

We were not a second too soon, for the first party were coming up the
ravine, running swiftly like hounds upon our trail. We fired one volley
and then charged up the slope full tilt over rocks, dodging as best we
could the trees.

It did not take us long to reach the summit. The Indians did not attempt
to follow us, but spread out under shelter, satisfied apparently to have
us surrounded. In a short time the upper party of braves had joined
forces with our pursuers.

Before we had fairly reached the top the rain swept down the mountain
valley, giving us protection from the marksmanship of the enemy.

"This place is all right," said Jim, "we could stand them off for a
hundred years if we ha