een fired simply
for the purpose of a warning.

Still, there was no need of their taking chances. And as he gave the
command, Elmer was one of the first to seek the shelter of a near-by
rock.

Immediately the valiant scouts scurried around, each eagerly desirous of
finding some sort of snug retreat.

No further shots came, much to the satisfaction of the boys, and inside
of half a minute not a figure was to be seen upon the little plateau.

It chanced that Red had selected the same rock as Elmer picked out,
behind which to crouch.

And of course Red could not long remain silent, since his overcharged
feelings just had to find a vent.

"Whew, this is what I call warm!" he said, puffing.

"Do you mean the weather, or the fact that we have been under fire?"
asked Elmer, who was looking out from his end of the rock, and trying to
size the situation up.

"Oh, well, I guess both of 'em would pass muster, all right," Red went
on. "You don't think any fellow got hurt, do you, Elmer?"

"Not any. Fact is," continued the scout master, "I've a pretty good
hunch the shot was not fired at us, but into the air, warning us to keep
off or we might get hurt."

"The ginnies fired it, of course, Elmer?"

"I'm sure of that."

"And we've cornered the bunch at last, hey? You did the trick, Elmer.
Trust you for following even half a trail blindfolded. But say, do you
know where they're holding the fort?"

"I've got something of an idea," replied Elmer. "If you look up the face
of the cliff, Red, you'll notice a bunch of green stuff growing. I think
there must be a shelf of rock there, and perhaps a cave back of it."

"But what makes you think that, Elmer?"

"Because I saw the powder smoke puff out from those little bushes when
the report sounded," replied Elmer.

"But my stars! that's all of fifty feet up. How d'ye suppose those
dagoes could get up there?" continued the one who sought information.

"Oh, that would just as likely as not turn out to be easy enough, once
you got started. Perhaps there's some sort of path leading up the face
of the cliff, and which we just can't see from here."

"What're we going to do, Elmer?"

"Nothing--just now, anyway."

"Just sit on our haunches, and wait for our birds to drop into our
hands, eh?" pursued Red.

"Oh, perhaps we may have to fight for it in the end, but I'm hoping for
an easier wind up to the affair," Elmer continued, musingly.

"You think the old woman may help out?