rks, so that the end of the
cowboy's advice fell amid a silence, and, being delivered at full power
must have been heard by the enemy.

Bud's laughter at this little incident was echoed by the others, and, for
the moment, relieved the grim tension. But its grip tightened on all of
them a moment later, as a bullet, viciously "zinging" its way amid the
rocks, clipped a little from the lobe of the ear of one of the cowboys.

He uttered an exclamation, partly of disgust at his own carelessness in
exposing himself, and Snake yelled:

"I told you to keep down, you tenderfoot!"

It was the harshest expression that could have been used.

Following that single shot, after the fusillade that had been in play
during Snake's advice to Bud, silence fell, and Snake and Yellin' Kid at
once began to make preparations for what might be a prolonged fight. The
two veteran cowboys in virtual charge of the relief expedition managed to
crawl together to the shelter of a big rock, and there held a
consultation, the while cautioning the others to remain behind the
protection of boulders they had picked out after the first rush.

Fortunately the horses had all been well picketed in a glade back of the
rocky fastness in which our friends had made fires and slept for the
night, so the outfit from Diamond X was between its steeds and the enemy.
The horses, though at first startled by the firing, had soon settled down
to a quiet cropping of such scanty herbage as grew in that desolate
place. The animals were accustomed to the noise of guns, which formed an
important part of every roundup, and, fortunately none had strayed.

I say fortunately with good reason, for in that wild country a man
without a horse was worse off than one without a country, all patriotic
reasons aside, of course. It was impossible for a man on foot to
successfully make his way from water hole to water hole, and an
automobile would have been worse than useless. Therefore it was with a
feeling of thankfulness that Bud and his friends realized the horses were
safe--at least for the time being.

"Fellows, listen to me," Snake said in a low, clear voice, after he and
the Kid had talked in half whispers for a time. "We've got to do
something, and maybe prepare for quite a fight. Now those whose names I
call come with me. The others stay here with the Kid."

Thereupon Snake named half the force, including in it the three boy
ranchers, to their great delight. For th