, when he had sauntered, as casually as he
could make it, to an observation point, what he saw made him gasp for
breath.

For, grouped closely together, below him, on a sort of big table of
rock, were a number of the Yaquis. They appeared to be holding a sort
of council or parley, and were gathered about an Indian to whom Mike
and Paz often delegated certain duties.

But this was not what caused the heart of Floyd to thump so desperately
against his ribs, making such a noise, he wildly feared, that the
pounding would be heard by some passing Indian.

What caused him fairly to gasp for breath was the sight of a great
boulder, poised on the edge of the natural wall, and hanging almost
directly over the group of talking Indians.

"If I can push that rock down on them it will do the trick!" thought
Floyd. "It'll put some of 'em out of business, and the rest will be so
frightened that they'll retreat. Then whoever is out there trying to
break through to help us, will have matters their own way. That's what
I'll do. Ill pry that rock loose and let it dash 'em on the heads."

It was a horrible thing to think of, much more horrible to do, but the
situation of Rosemary and Floyd was desperate indeed. The end seemed
to justify the means.

"The point is," mused Floyd, "can I shove that rock down?"

Looking about him he saw that he was not observed. He quickly made his
way nearer to the rock, and then, reaching out his hands, he pushed.

Gently at first he exerted the pressure, and then putting more power
into the shove he thrust with all his might.

"It's giving! It's giving!" thought Floyd, with a desperate catch of
his breath. "I can shove it down on 'em and dash 'em all up!"

He exerted all his strength. The rock was moving, and even with all
the villainies the Indians had to their discredit Floyd's nerve almost
failed him as he saw the great boulder sway as if for the plunge.

But to his chagrin he felt the rock move back toward him again. He
tried to hold it away--to thrust it from him--but nature, in the guise
of the attraction of gravitation--pulled the rock back into the
socket-shaped bed where it had rested so long.

It rolled back with a grinding sound, and Floyd feared, for a moment
that he had loosened it so that it would topple back and fall upon his
feet.

But this did not happen. The great half-round stone oscillated to and
fro and then came to rest. Floyd had only caused it to sway a lit