ed their hasty aim uncertain, and in another moment he was
around and behind the sheltering cliff. With wild yells the Indians
darted forward in pursuit.

[Illustration: A COUPLE OF ARROWS ... FOLLOWED HIM.]

About thirty paces beyond the point of the cliff that hid him for a few
moments from view, was the cave in which he had spent the night. Quick
as thought he sprang up the steep trail to its entrance and darted in.
Crouching behind a ledge of rock close to the entrance, he waited for
the two Indians to appear. Presently he saw one of them peering around
the bend in the cliff wall. Raising his gun to his shoulder, he fired.
The Indian's face disappeared from sight, but whether the bullet had hit
the mark, Hawk Eye could not determine.

In the meantime Raven Wing, not daring to run into range of the arrows
from the two Indians, had darted into the bushes and made for the rocky
ground in the rear of the camp. In doing so he happened to pass the tree
against which Slow Dog had rested Hawk Eye's gun, with shot-belt and
powder horn. Picking them up, he climbed over the rocks and up to a
wooded ridge that overlooked the cave in which Hawk Eye had sought
shelter.

From this high point Raven Wing noticed that the bed of dried up water
course led through the bushes towards the cave. Without further delay he
hurried down to it, and sped swiftly along between its high
bush-bordered banks. But, on drawing near to the cave, he was
disappointed to find an open space, without tree or shrub, between it
and the edge of the bushes.

[Illustration: {Brave with headdress.}]

CHAPTER XV

TWO GOOD SHOTS

Peering cautiously out between the heavy undergrowth, Raven Wing saw the
two Indians, who had pursued Hawk Eye, crouching behind a boulder on the
opposite side of the open space. He realized that it would be impossible
for him to cross the open ground without being hit by an arrow, and he
also felt reasonably certain that as soon as they were joined by Slow
Dog, they would set off to find him, leaving the Medicine Man to prevent
Hawk Eye's escape from the cave.

While debating as to what might be the best thing to do, he looked
towards the cave and to his surprise saw Hawk Eye signing to him from
behind a ledge of rock that screened him completely from the view of the
enemy.

Answering the sign to assure his friend that he had seen him, Raven Wing
made a series of signs which were finally understood by Hawk Eye to mea