wandering at will. The animals were so trained that either would come at
the whistle of his master, who, therefore, felt sure of finding him at
command when wanted--that is, provided no outsiders disturbed him. This
mesquite growth, consisting of open bushes which attain a height of
eight or ten feet, extended over an area of several acres, affording the
best kind of hiding-place for man or animal.

The signs of their old enemies, the Comanches, to which Captain Shirril
referred, had been noticed by his men, including young Avon Burnet. They
had seen the smoke of camp-fires in the distance, had observed parties
of horsemen galloping to and fro, and, in fact, had exchanged shots with
the dusky marauders when they ventured too near in the darkness.

There could be no doubt that these fellows were on the watch for a
chance to stampede the cattle, but the vigilance of the cowboys
prevented that disaster. Most of the latter believed the Comanches would
hover on their flank, probably until the beasts were well out of Texas
and far over the line in the Indian Nation or Kansas. That they would
stay behind to avenge themselves upon the wife and servant of the
captain was not to be believed. The wife was equally certain on that
point, so their leader suffered himself to be persuaded that his
misgivings were groundless.

But this feeling of security, which was felt by all, suffered a
startling interruption.

When Captain Shirril erected his humble cabin several years before, he
did not forget the danger to which he was certain to be exposed from the
Indians. The wooden walls were heavy and bullet-proof, and the door was
capable of being barred so strongly at an instant's warning, that
nothing less than a battering ram could drive it inward. The windows
were too narrow to admit the passage of the most elongated redskin that
ever wormed himself into the camp of an enemy. The structure was long
and low, with an upper story, in which the cowboys slept whenever it was
advisable to do so.

"You have had so much experience with this kind of business," said the
captain, "that I suppose I ought not to feel uneasy, even if I knew you
would be attacked, for there are two guns here ready for you and Dinah,
and you have both proven that you understand how to use the weapons;
there is plenty of ammunition, too, and since you have had full warning
of what may possibly take place----"

At that instant the resounding report of a rifle broke