cried Chris anxiously.

"No; I came on with the glass. Do you want to use it, Griggs?"

"No," was the reply. "I'm going to shoot, and that will give all the
alarm we want."

They proceeded to the second terrace, where the movements of the Indians
grew clearer, and going down behind a stone the American took a long and
careful aim before firing.

"Missed him," he said angrily.

The word had hardly left his lips before Chris drew his trigger, and the
next moment Ned followed his example.

The reports brought the rest of the party of defenders into the cell
from which the firing had been directed.

"Well," said the doctor, "what is it?"

He took the binocular upon hearing the explanation, but after holding it
to his eyes for a few moments returned it to Griggs.

"Is it a mistake?" he said.

Griggs laid his cheek to his rifle, and fired again, to stand gazing
across the valley for some moments before he replied--

"No, sir; no mistake, and that Indian knows it."

"You hit one?"

"Yes, and there were three more just appeared, but, as far as I could
make out, they have all gone now."

There was a little more excitement and watching, but nothing was made
out for some minutes. Then the doctor, who had seized the glass and
been sweeping the opposite side of the valley in search of danger,
exclaimed--

"They've gone. Look, Bourne." He passed the glass to the gentleman
addressed. "Across the right, there, over the edge of the cliff."

"Yes, I see; a large party of them cantering away."

At that moment Griggs, who had raised the sight of his rifle, fired
again after a rapid glance.

"Man and horse down," cried Bourne.

"Why did you fire again when they were in full retreat?"

"To give them a lesson not to come and interfere with us, sir," said
Griggs shortly. "It's too dangerous to trifle with them, sir, and
they're getting more daring."

"Yes, I know," said the doctor, "and I wish we could get away from this
place; but I dare not stir, for the enemy would follow us and hang on to
our skirts, go which way you chose."

"Young Chris had an idea about our getting away, sir," said the man,
giving the boy a wink.

"An idea. I should have thought he had only one, and that was connected
with getting well again. Well, what is it, Chris?"

The boy explained, his face feeling like fire the while, and his father
listened to the end.

"Well," he said at last, "that sounds perfectly reasonable and good.