a sudden death, ran at the top of his speed
with his two friends for the cabin, for, if they could reach it, they
did not fear a hundred paint-bedaubed savages.

"Luckily they arrived in time. Where they lived was part dugout and part
cabin. It was about ten feet high, and right back of it was a big ledge
of rock, which made it impossible for any one to get into it from that
side. The place had no door; they did not dare to put one there when
it was built, for they were likely to be surprised at any moment by
a prowling band, so the only entrance was a square hole in the roof,
through which one at a time had to crawl to enter.

"The boys got inside all right just as the Ingins came a yelling up.
Bill looked out of a hole in the wall and counted thirty of the devils,
and said at once: 'Off with your coats; don't let them have anything
to catch hold of but our naked bodies if they get in, and we can handle
ourselves better.'

"'Thirty to three,' said Al. 'Whew! this ain't going to be any boy's
play; we've got to fight for all there is in it, and the chances are
mightily agin us.'

"Rube he took an axe, and stood right under the hole in the roof, so
that if any of the devils got in he could brain them. In a minute five
rifles cracked; for the Ingins was pretty well armed for them times, and
their bullets rattled agin the logs like hail agin a tent. Some of 'em
was on top the roof by this time, and soon the leader of the party, a
big painted devil, thrust his ugly face into the hole; but he had hardly
got a good look before Bill dropped him by a well-directed shot and he
tumbled in on the floor.

"'You darned fool,' said Bill, as he saw the effect of his shot; 'did
you think we was asleep?'

"There was one opening that served for air, and a savage, seeing the
boys had forgotten to barricade it, tried to push himself through, an'
not succeeding, tried to back out, but at that instant Bill caught him
by the wrist--Bill was a powerful man--and picking up a beaver-trap that
laid on the floor, actually beat his brains out with it.

"While this circus was going on inside, three more of the Ingins got on
the roof and wrenched off a couple of the logs that covered it; but in a
minute they came tumbling down and lay dead on the floor.

"'That leaves only twenty-five, don't it?' inquired Al, as he mopped his
face with his shirt-sleeve.

"'Howl, you red devils,' said Bill, as the Ingins commenced their awful
yelling when t