Old
Rocks feared that some of the flying bullets which whistled around them
would find a mark.

At length the guide gave an exclamation of satisfaction.

"Reckon I knows whar ther Hermit is headin' fer," he said.

"Where?" asked Frank.

"Straight fer Sand Cave."

"Where is Sand Cave?"

"Not very fur ahead. Thar is some bowlders at ther mouth o' ther cave,
and we oughter be able ter stand ther red niggers off thar."

"Are you sure the Hermit is going there?"

"I ain't sure, but it looks thet way. It ain't likely he kin keep up
this pace much farther, an' kerry ther child."

However, Old Rocks feared the man ahead might not be making for Sand
Cave, and so he called to the Hermit, asking him if he knew where to
find the cave. The Hermit replied that he did, and Rocks urged him to go
there.

"Git in with ther gal--git in out o' ther way o' bullets," advised the
old guide. "Ther boy an' me will stand ther red dogs off all right."

To this the Hermit agreed.

A short time later, as they were rushing along the base of a bluff, the
Hermit was seen to disappear.

"Hyar's ther cave!" panted Old Rocks, catching hold of the boy. "Right
yar behind these boulders. In with yer!"

Frank saw the dark mouth of the cave behind the bowlders, over which he
vaulted.

The cry of the child came out of the darkness of the cave.

The Hermit and little Fay were there.

"Reddy!" hissed Old Rocks, crouching behind the bowlders--"reddy ter
repel invaders!"

The Blackfeet were coming on, and their dusky forms suddenly appeared
near at hand in the darkness.

On his knees behind a bowlder, Frank had drawn a revolver, and he began
firing with Old Rocks.

The flash of the weapons blinded the boy for the moment, and he stopped
shooting when he had fired three times.

Old Rocks stopped at the same moment, growling:

"Thet's ther way with ther onery skunks! They'll never come up and be
shot down ther way they oughter!"

The Indians had disappeared.

"Where are they?" asked Frank, wonderingly.

"Right near yere, you kin bet yer dust," answered the guide. "They
drapped down ther instant we begun slingin' lead, an' they're huggin'
ther yearth, you bet!"

"Did we kill any?"

"Wa-al, I dunno; but I'll allow thet I didn't do any shootin' fer fun. I
don't b'lieve in thet under such circumstances."

"This affair may bring on an Indian war."

"Let'er bring! It'll be er good thing ef it does, an' ther hull Injun
nation is wipe