e in the rear.

During the night Arthur had not been idle. Behind a large rock he had
scooped out a small cave in which he and the wounded man might lie
protected. Now the Indians, in the full light of day, were spraying the
spot with bullets. Fortunately they were notoriously poor shots, and
their guns were the worst ever made. For hours the fusillade continued.
Occasionally the defender answered with a shot or two to discourage any
further attempt at storming his position.

The most welcome sound in Ridley's life was a scattering volley of shots
that came from back of the Kiowa camp. There was a sudden rush for
horses by the braves and the scurry of pounding hoofs as they fled
across the prairie. A moment later came the whoop of the cowboys in the
rescue party.

Arthur, in an ecstasy of relief, ran to the edge of the water and waved
his hat. Across the river came in answer the "Yip-yip, yippy-yip-yip" of
the line-riders in the company. Several of them plunged into the stream
and swam their horses across to the island. Among these were Jumbo
Wilkins and Tex Roberts.

"I see you done held the fort, son," said the fat man. "Fine and dandy!
How's Dinsmore?"

"Quieter. He slept a good deal in the night. How are we going to get him
across the river?"

The Ranger joined them. He nodded a friendly greeting at Ridley.

"Our luck held up all right. I see you been doin' some fancy shootin'."

Arthur looked at him. The eyes of the Easterner were full of timid
doubt. What did this game Texan think of him who had proposed to leave a
wounded man to his fate? The Ranger beamed a kindly comradeship, but the
other young fellow wondered what was passing in the back of his mind.

They held a committee on ways and means about Dinsmore.

"We can't stay here--got to get him to town where he can be fixed up,"
Jumbo said.

"We'll take him over to the other bank and send for a buckboard,"
decided Jack.

The wounded man was carried to the head of the island, and strapped to
the back of a horse. Jumbo, Roberts, and Ridley guided the horse into
the current and helped it fight through to the shallow water beyond.

Twenty-four hours later Dinsmore was in bed in Tascosa. Dr. Bridgman
said, with the usual qualification about complications, that the man
probably would get well. The bullet had not punctured his lungs.

CHAPTER XXIII

A SHY YOUNG MAN DINES

Ramona met Arthur Ridley face to face just outside of the post-office