pted this obvious explanation.

Their suspicions lulled, they turned and went back the way they had
come, pausing long enough, however, to watch Floyd enter the cave where
Rosemary waited.

"Well," she questioned, as he threw the broken ends of his lever on the
rocky floor.

"No go," answered Floyd despondently. "I had a peach of a chance to
play a trump hand on them, but luck was against me."

He told what he had tried to do with the rock.

"Oh? I--I'm almost glad it didn't succeed!" said Rosemary with a
shudder. "It would have been--terrible!"

"Nothing is too bad for these devils!" cried Floyd. "But I give up. I
can't think of anything more to do."

"Then shall I try my way?" asked his sister.

"It is a desperate chance," Floyd murmured.

"But don't you think we ought to try it? We may be able to reach the
wall, and get over, or go down the trail we came up. It was too steep
for the horses, but maybe we can make it."

The horses had been abandoned by the Yaquis as they entrenched
themselves for this last stand. The animals could not make the ascent.

"Well?" asked Rosemary of her brother.

"I'm with you!" he said, with a sharp intaking of his breath.

Then they got ready for the ruse Rosemary had proposed.

CHAPTER XXV

"ALL'S WELL!"

What was taking place down below, Rosemary and Floyd could only guess
at. But that the rescuers were taking advantage of everything possible
was evident from the occasional hits they made among the Yaquis. More
than one was killed and several wounded as they fired over the top of
the wall, or through loopholes amid the rocks.

Then, soon after the determination at which Rosemary had arrived, there
came a more violent fusillade than any that had preceded. In this
several Indians were forced to retire because of serious wounds. Then
the firing died away.

Though the captive lad and his sister did not know it, this sudden
cessation in the firing of the attackers was due to an order of the
commander of the troopers. The captain was, also, nominally in command
of the boy ranchers and their friends.

"There is too much indiscriminate firing," decided Captain Marshall.
"We haven't an unlimited supply of ammunition. We've got to go a bit
slow. No telling how long we may have to camp on the trail of these
imps."

It was a wise determination as they all agreed, and the word went up
and down the line of attackers to be sparing of powder and lead. Thi