commanded the approach up the hillside, and yet were
secure from fire from above, below or either flank. Then back he went to
his watch-tower.

[Illustration: THE TWO MEN SET TO WORK TO BUILD THEIR BREASTWORK.]

The instant he adjusted the glass and levelled it at the road, Pike gave
vent to an expletive that need not be recorded here, but that indicated
in him a most unusual degree of excitement. No wonder. The Tontos were
now in plain view--only two miles and a half out there on the
plain,--and though they were spread out, as a rule, to the right and
left of the road, quite a number of them came jogging along the road
itself, and right in the midst of these, led by an Indian in front and
guarded by two or three in rear--were the missing mules. Even at that
distance Pike could swear to them. On they came, rapidly, relentlessly,
well knowing that even if their human prey had escaped them the big
wagon must be somewhere about the Pass and loaded still with provisions.
Nearer--nearer jogged the leaders; but now the old trooper was carefully
studying a dark object on the back of the foremost mule--a pack of some
kind--and marvelling what it could be,--wondering, too, what they had
done with their prisoner. He was sure they had one as they came along
that morning. At last they were within a mile of the heights and the
western entrance to the Pass, and now their speed slackened. They began
opening out farther and farther to the right and left, and the nearer
they came to the foothills the slower and steadier became their advance.
The mules and their attendants were kept well in the background and for
the life of him Pike could not tell what that queer looking "pack" could
be. Slowly, steadily, the Tonto skirmish line came on. Every moment
brought them nearer to the mouth of the Pass. The sun was low down in
the west and threw long shadows of the approaching foe before them.
Little by little, crouching, almost crawling, the more daring spirits
among them would give a spring and a rapid run to the front of forty or
fifty yards. Evidently they expected to be greeted with a sharp fire
somewhere about the Pass, and did not dare push ahead in their usual
order. And now they had reached the entrance to the defile. Two or
three, as flankers, remained well out to the right and left among the
trees; two or three stole cautiously ahead down the road. Pike watched
their every move, yet found himself every few seconds fixing his gaze on