three trusty animals were turned loose, each receiving a smart slap to
start it on its way. They galloped off across the plain, and were soon
lost to sight in the distance.

Meantime the Indians had been keeping up a straggling fire in the
direction of the stage coach, and Bert and the guard set themselves to
the task of silencing it. Lying flat on the ground, and aiming their guns
cautiously around each end of the coach, they fired with sure aim every
time a dusky arm or leg was exposed by their attackers. They were both
crack shots, and their bullets seldom failed to reach their mark.
Gradually the fire from the enemy died down, and at last stopped almost
altogether. The precision of the white men astonished them, and they drew
behind cover and held a conference.

"Now's the time!" exclaimed Buck. "Into the coach, boys, and rustle out
the baggage. Lively's the word!"

All the little party, with the exception of the passengers, who seemed
too paralyzed with fright to move, dashed into the coach, and before the
Indians realized what was happening returned, each staggering under some
bulky article, trunk, or mail bag.

The savages sprang into life, and a hail of bullets struck against the
coach. But they were too late, and the defenders set to work to construct
a circular rampart, using the coach as part of it. After arranging the
baggage to their satisfaction they dug up earth and covered the
improvised ramparts with it.

"So far, so good," said Buck, when at last they stopped to draw breath.
"That will hold the red devils off for a time, anyway. But unless we get
help in some way I'm afraid we're done for, anyway. There's a big party
o' bucks there, and chances are that more will join them before mornin'.
Then they'll come at us in earnest, and it will only be a question o' how
long we can stand them off. After that----" he ended with a silence more
eloquent than words.

"Isn't there--isn't there some way to summon aid?" asked one of the
passengers, with blanched cheeks.

"I don't see how," replied Buck; "it would be jest plain suicide fer one
of us to make a break now. Besides, it's twenty miles to the nearest
town, and the Injuns'll be on us long before anybody could get to town
and bring back help, even supposin' the Injuns didn't pot him before he
got fairly started. O' course, we couldn't do anythin' before dark,
nohow."

"Don't you think they'll attack before that?" asked Dick.

"No, I don't," replied