egin making targets of us they may be
more fortunate."

"What I am afraid of is that they may now get upon the high ground above
us here."

"And that would be awkward, sir," said the American thoughtfully. Then
after a pause--"We've got the whip hand of them with our rifles."

"Of course."

"And we've shown them a little of what we can do, but not enough.
There's only one thing left now."

"And what's that?" asked the doctor, after a glance at his son.

"Give them such a lesson that they won't stop to have any more, but make
off into the desert."

"That's very good advice," replied the doctor, "but how can it be done
without risk to ourselves?"

"Let them think we daren't stir away from here, while we wait for a few
days to let some one get well again, and his nag too, while we have not
been wasting time, but under the screen of hunting and shooting have
been watching, and when once we have got to know where they camp, we
must come upon them suddenly some night, and the rifles must do the
rest."

"Well, Chris, what do you think of that?" said the doctor, turning to
where the two boys sat listening.

"Can't be done," said Chris shortly.

"Why?"

"How are you going to find out where they make their camp? They're in
one place to-day and another to-morrow."

"Yes, Griggs, that is the difficulty."

"Well, I know that, sir," replied Griggs; "but can you think of a better
plan?"

"Only that of waiting till we see them some time in the open, and then
coming out to attack them."

"Half-a-dozen of us against a hundred," said Griggs dryly; "all mounted
men who can ride as if they were part of their horses. We could shoot a
good many of them, of course, but they'd be too much for us if we killed
or wounded fifty of them. For how many of us would go down in doing
it?"

"They could spare ten," said Bourne, who had just sauntered up, "while
we couldn't spare one."

"No, nor half one," said Griggs. "What we've got to do, gentlemen, is
something that will give them such a startler that they'll have had
enough of it; and it must be done without our getting a scratch."

"Yes," said the doctor; "but how?"

"That's what we've got to think out, sir. We ought to be a bit cleverer
than a set of savage Indians. I vote we all make up our minds to think
it out. We've got plenty of time, for we're all right here as to food
and shelter, and can't move for a week certain."

"On account of Chris and the injured b