"Shoot down every man that tries
to heave rocks into the ravine, or fire at us. We're going to move
that dynamite."

Once within the shelter of the gorge, with comrades carefully sighting
the slopes, Geordie felt the danger would not be very great. A swift
rush carried all four over the open space of twenty yards. Three or
four shots came zipping from aloft, but the instant ring of Winchesters
back of them told that watchful eyes had noted every head that
appeared, and the swift crackle of fire from the shop put instant stop
to the fun up the slope. Into the store-room the manager led them, and
unlocked a heavy little trap-door within; then, one by one, the
ominous-looking cases were dragged forth, hoisted, and swiftly borne to
the mouth of the mine. Three tunnels there seemed to be, as Geordie
hurriedly noted, but into the largest and lowermost they shouldered
their perilous burden and carefully, cautiously, stacked the boxes well
inside; went back, and searched out, and followed with all the fuse and
powder stored at the top. Then, with rock and ore and barrels of earth,
they built a stout barrier in front of the tunnel, blocking it from
without, and the sun was down and night was upon them when they
stumbled back to their posts.

For now still a weightier problem remained to them--how to defend those
works in the dark.

In all, Geordie Graham found they had just twenty men on whom he could
count. The trembling young Slav at the blacksmith-shop, the blue-lipped
boy in the office, and sorely wounded old Shiner were out of the fight.
But Cawker's mine-guards were native born, or Irish, and most of the
reinforcements that came with Nolan and himself were Americans, and all
were good men and true. By day they could see and shoot at any man or
men who sought to approach them with hostile intent. By night they
could see nothing. There was only one way, said Graham, to prevent the
more daring among the rioters crawling in on them and firing some of
the shops, and that was to throw out strong pickets on every side, then
trust to their ears, their grit, and their guns.

Already he had been selecting good positions in which to post his
sentries. Ten at least, full half his force, would be needed, and while
vigilant watch was kept through the twilight, and a warning shot sent
at every hat that showed within dangerous range, Geordie went from
building to building picking out his men.

Arms, ammunition, and provisions, fort