dash into
view--four in all. Three of them were men, but their leader was a girl,
who wore a mask over her face.

"There!" exclaimed Frank--"there is the queen of the counterfeiters!"

CHAPTER XLVI.

AFTER THE FIGHT.

The masked girl seemed to have the eyes of an eagle, for she immediately
located the trio behind the rocks. A wild cry broke from her lips, and
then she caught the rein in her teeth, snatched out two revolvers, and
charged straight down upon the boys and the girl they were defending,
firing as she came.

The men followed her.

With hoarse shouts, the first party of pursuers joined in the charge,
and the trio of defenders were between two fires.

"Shoot to kill! Shoot to kill!" screamed Bart. "Do not waste bullets
now! It will be fatal if you do."

Only too well did Frank realize that he must seek human targets for his
bullets. It was not the first time in his life that he had been
compelled to do such a thing, but he always regretted the necessity, and
did so only when forced to the last ditch.

It is a very easy thing to sit down quietly and think or write of
shooting a human being in self-defense; but such a thing is not easy for
conscientious persons to do. When the time comes, they either shoot in
desperate haste, before they can think much about it, or hold off as
long as possible.

Frank held off as long as possible, but now he realized it would not do
to hesitate longer. Bart was shooting in one direction, and he began
shooting in the other. Through the smoke that leaped from the muzzle of
his rifle he saw one man fling up his hands and plunge forward on his
face.

Either the men were utterly reckless, or they had not believed the boys
would offer much resistance, for they exposed themselves fearlessly and
rushed fiercely on the rocks behind which the trio crouched. It is
possible they fancied that by shooting recklessly among the rocks they
could keep the lads quiet till the barrier was reached.

This was a fatal mistake for some of them. The ones who were mounted
came forward more swiftly, but some of them were toppled from the
saddle, others were thrown into confusion, the horses were wounded and
frightened, and the riders who could escape, reined about and made haste
to do so.

All but the masked girl!

With the utmost reckless abandon, she charged right up to the rocks.
Being a girl, neither of the boys had shot toward her, or her horse.

Now, however, Bart Hodge ro