g the horses. Yet Pike's quick ear
caught, far out on the prairie to the west, the sound of hoofs coming
towards him.

"When those Apaches named a horse 'click-click' they must have struck
one that interfered," he muttered. "Now that's old Gregg coming in, I'll
bet my boots, and there's not a click about his tread. 'Course there
might be on rock, instead of this soft earth. The captain's back sooner
than I supposed he'd come. What's up?"

Quickly, crouchingly, he hurried forward some few rods, then knelt so
that he might see the coming horseman against the sky. Then challenged
sharp and low:

"Who comes there!"

"Captain Gwynne," was the quick answer.

"That you, Pike? By jove, man! I've come back in a hurry. Are the horses
all right? I want to push right on to the Pass to-night."

"Horses all right, captain. What's the matter back there?"

"I didn't venture too far, but I went far enough to learn by my night
glass and my ears that those scoundrels were having a war-dance. Now the
chances are they'll keep it up all night until they gather in all the
renegades in the neighborhood. Then come after us. This is no place to
make a fight. It's all open here. But the road is good all the way to
Sunset, and once there I know a nook among the rocks where we can stow
our whole outfit--where there are 'tanks' of fresh water in abundance
and where we can stand them off until the cavalry get out from Verde.
Sieber said he'd have them humming on our trail at once. Tanner and
Canker and Lieutenant Ray are there with their troops and you can bet
high we won't have long to wait. It's the one thing to do. Rouse up Jim
and Manuelito while I give 'Gregg' a rest. Poor old boy," he said, as he
noted his favorite's heaving flanks. "He has had a hard run for it and
more than his share of work this day."

In ten minutes Black Jim, roused by vigorous kicks, was silently but
briskly hitching in his team, Manuelito silently but suddenly buckling
the harness about his mules. Irish Kate, aroused by the clatter, had
poked her head from underneath the canvas to inquire what was the
matter, and, at a few words from the captain, had shrunk in again,
stricken with fear, but obeying implicitly.

"Let the children sleep as long as possible, Kate," were Gwynne's
orders. "The jolting will wake them too soon, I fear, but we've got to
push ahead to Sunset Pass at once. There are Indians ten miles behind
us."

A few minutes more and all was ready f