, the
leaders of the rescue expedition had selected the place for the dinner
stop with a view to its possible defense in case of emergency. This
was part and parcel of life in the west, especially when on an
expedition of this character.

In consequence there were several natural places of refuge and hiding,
behind which a fight could be conducted. And as soon as it was
ascertained that a body of horseman--hostile it seemed they must
be--were riding against them, the first thought was how best a fight
could be conducted.

"Get in the horses!" commanded Rolling Stone. "They'll shoot them off
first crack out of the box, for they'll know we're done for without our
animals."

As the rescuers had been about to move when the approaching party was
discovered, and as some of the cowboys actually had their horses in
hand, the securing of the remainder of the steeds was a work of no
great moment.

At one edge of the roughly outlined circle in which the noon camp had
been pitched, was a group of big rocks, that would make a natural
stable and hiding place for the horses. The animals were led into this
little corral, and made fast there by lariats. As much of the baggage
as possible was piled in with the horses.

This much done by Bud and his friends it was necessary to look to
themselves, for the strange horsemen were slowly but surely coming on,
and it was beyond question that they had entirely surrounded our
heroes. From all points of the compass, a thin line it is true, but
one in which there were no breaks, in came the attackers.

"We've got to form a circle ourselves," said Snake grimly. "Get down
as low as you can, boys, each one behind a rock, and with one at your
back if you can make it. They won't rush us at first. They'll try to
pick us off until they find out how many of us there are."

Quickly the others followed his advice. It was an admirable place to
defend, and other things being equal could be held by a small band
against a large body. But the factors of food and water would enter
into the fight, and though the camp was watered by a little stream,
everyone from Diamond X knew the first act of the attackers would be to
go higher up and cut off the supply of fluid. In this hot summer
season men and beasts could only last a short time without water.

Then, having seen to it that the boy ranchers and the others were in as
good a position of defense as possible, Snake Purdee picked out his own
li