n," asserted Snake, and Yellin' Kid
nodded in agreement.

The Indian's wound, which he had not troubled himself to dress, was
looked after with rough and ready, but effective cowboy skill and then,
a good camping place near a water hole having been reached, saddles
were taken off the weary steeds who began to roll about in welcome
relief.

The fires were made, grub cooked and as night settled down all prepared
for much-needed rest.

"Well, another day or two and we ought to catch up to 'em," observed
Bud, as he prepared to turn in with the others.

"That's right," agreed Yellin' Kid. "They can't have traveled any
faster than we did, and we took a shorter trail."

The night passed without any incidents of moment, though Nort nearly
gave a needless alarm when he sprang up, declaring that he was being
"roped" in the darkness.

But a light revealed that only a harmless snake was crawling over his
neck, an unpleasant enough sensation as you doubtless will admit, but
one not necessarily disastrous.

"Burr-r-r-r!" shuddered Nort, when he saw that it was a snake, and not
a lariat that had rasped him. "I'd almost rather it was a lasso! I
hate snakes!"

Then sleep was resumed.

The gray, cold and somewhat cheerless dawn was breaking over the
temporary camp when, as Buck Tooth toddled over to replenish the fire
for breakfast, there came sharp cracks of rifles from the surrounding
rocks and scrub underbrush, and the old Indian fell.

"Yaquis!" yelled Nort, springing for his gun.

"Ambushed!" cried Bud.

"Steady, everybody!" shouted Yellin' Kid and his strenuous voice,
rumbling and echoing through the silent morning, seemed to calm them
all. "Get down on your faces! Drop!" commanded the cowboy, while
puffs of smoke, flashes of fire and nerve-racking reports told that the
attack from ambush was in some force.

CHAPTER XI

THE SURPRISE

Camp had been made by the boy ranchers and their friends in a little
glade, amid rocks and stunted brush, a natural fortification as it were,
with only one side open. And it was from this one side that the shots
from the ambushers were pouring in.

Though Yellin' Kid and Snake Purdee had said nothing to the boys about
it, the place had been purposely selected with an eye to its possible
defense.

"You can't tell what will happen in this country," Snake had said to
Yellin' Kid, and the latter agreed, lowering his voice, for once at
least, so Bud and his cousins could