of
the savages, who now came on yelling with triumph, for they evidently
thought themselves sure of their victims by that time.

"Are ye a good shot, Dick?" asked Jackson, as he gazed sternly at the
approaching foe.

"No--abominably bad."

"Fire low then. You may catch the horses if ye miss the Redskins.
Anyhow you'll hit the ground if you aim low, an' it's wonderful what
execution a bullet may do arter hittin' mother Earth."

"I never aim," replied the sailor. "Only a waste o' time. I just point
straight an' fire away."

"Do it, then," growled roaring Bull, with something that sounded like a
short laugh.

At the same moment he himself took quick aim at the foe and fired; the
leading horse and man immediately rolled upon the plain.

As both men were armed with repeating rifles the fusillade was rapid,
and most of the savages, who seldom fight well in the open, were
repulsed. But several of them, headed apparently by their chief, rode
on fearlessly until within pistol-shot.

Then the two defenders of this peculiar fortress sprang up with
revolvers in each hand.

"Lie close, Mary," cried Jackson as he fired, and the chief's horse
rolled over, almost reaching their position with the impetus of the
charge. The chief himself lay beside his horse, for another shot had
ended his career. As two other horses had fallen, the rest of the band
wheeled aside and galloped away, followed by a brisk fire from the white
men, who had again crouched behind their breast-work and resumed their
rifles.

Bullets were by that time flying over them in considerable numbers, for
those Indians who had not charged with their chief had, after retiring
to a safe distance, taken to firing at long range. At this work Dick's
rifle and straight pointing were of little use, so he reserved his fire
for close quarters, while Jackson, who was almost a certain shot at
average ranges, kept the savages from drawing nearer.

"Lie closer to the pony, Miss Mary," said Dick, as a shot passed close
over the girl and whistled between him and his comrade. "Were you hurt
in the fall?"

"No, not in the least. Don't you think they'll hear the firing at the
ranch, father?"

"Ay, lass, if there's anybody to hear it, but I sent the boys out this
mornin' to hunt up a bunch o' steers that have drifted south among
Wilson's cattle, an' I fear they've not come back yet. See, the
reptiles are goin' to try it again!"

As he spoke, the remnant of the