the cold night air and blazing three
shots into the woods. "The charge o' the light brigade! Waterloo!
Lidysmith! The Camperdown an' orl the rest! Yu got no traditions, yu
sneakin' pups! If I 'it one o' yu yu'd think of nothink but the
quickest w'y 'ome."

A bullet whistled past either ear, and he tumbled back into the tender,
barking several fresh places on his sore body.

"Wots the use?" he growled. "They don't understand. . . . Lidysmith
don't 'elp none if they 'it me, though she's orl right for--for
tradition. I better lie low an' stop gassin' 'istory. . . . Any'ow,
'Uggins wouldn't sound right in 'istory."

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE SIEGE OF THE SHACK

'Uggins' historical chatter was but a by-play. The others crept along
under protection of the grade until they were clear of stray shots from
the gang that had waylaid the engine. There they broke into a run,
though Murphy complained bitterly at turning his back to a sure fight
for one that might never come off. Four hundred yards from the trestle
Mahon ordered them to wait.

He had no idea what might be happening in and about the shack, but he
realised that only within its walls was his small force formidable.
Only he and Williams possessed rifles. The revolvers of the others
were of small service except at closer range than was apt to offer. He
knew the bohunks well enough to feel certain that an attack at close
quarters would be attempted only when defence was practically beaten
down.

The silence told him that no immediate danger threatened; he did not
doubt that the Indian was somewhere on guard. Uncertain, however, how
closely the shack was invested, he crept carefully forward to
reconnoitre.

It gave him time to canvass the situation. As far as the curve of the
river behind the shack were too few trees to cover serious attack from
that direction. Probably the survey for the grade had chosen this line
of contact between prairie and forest because of the small expense of
clearing the right of way.

It was certain, therefore, that the danger lay in front, where the
forest across the grade, and the elevation of the grade itself,
protected the besiegers. The bohunks would be slow to expose
themselves. Indeed, there was no need that they should, since escape
was impossible. Not only was there nowhere to flee, but without its
defenders the trestle would be at the mercy of the I.W.W.

Mahon did not trouble to speculate as to the end o