range work his forty-five-seventy did clean work.

The Texan did not miss a shot. He picked the leaders and took his time.
A third, a fourth, and a fifth brave went sliding from the backs of the
swimming ponies.

The Kiowas broke under the deadly fire. Those not yet in the deep water
turned and made for the shore from which they had come. The others gave
with the current and drifted past the island, their bodies hanging from
the far side of the ponies.

The whites on the island shot at the horses. More than one redskin,
unable to get out of the current after his pony had been shot, floated
down the river for miles before the body was found by his tribe.

"We got either nine or ten," said the Ranger. "They'll never try another
attack from that bank. Probably they'll surround the island to starve
us."

He put down his rifle and opened the shirt of the wounded man. Dinsmore
had been shot in the back, above the heart. Jack washed out the wound
and bound it up as best he could. The outlaw might live, or he might
not--assuming that the party would escape from the savages.

Jack knew that this was an assumption not likely to be fulfilled. His
guess was that there were four or five hundred of the Kiowas. They
would immediately post a line of guards on both sides of the river.
There was a chance that a man on a fast horse might make a get-away if
he left at once. He proposed to Ridley that he try this.

"Will you go too?" asked Arthur.

The Ranger shook his head. "Got to stay with my prisoner."

"I'll stay too."

"If you were to make it, you could send me help."

"Think I could get away?"

The Westerner pointed to two Indians who were swimming the river below
out of rifle-shot. "I doubt it. You might fight yore way through, but
they'd likely get you."

"I'll stick it out here, then."

In his heart Arthur knew that he was not staying to face the danger with
the Texan. When once he had got over his panic, he had fought coolly
enough under the eye of his companion, but he lacked the stark courage
to face the chances of that long ride alone for help.

"I reckon it's too late, anyhow," agreed Roberts. He shrugged his
shoulders. "It's a toss-up, either way. But we'll sure send a few to
their happy hunting-grounds before we take our long journey."

"You think--" Arthur let his fear-filled eyes finish the question.

The Ranger smiled wryly. "Yore guess is as good as mine. I'll say this:
I've been in tight holes befo