one of the old college songs.
There was no reply at first, but he repeated the refrain a little louder
this time, and was overjoyed to hear the tune taken up by a whistle that
he recognized as Tom's. He waited a few minutes, to give Tom time to warn
the others of his coming, and then ran swiftly forward until he reached
the inclosure.

Dick and Tom almost hugged him in their joy at his safe return, and then
questioned him anxiously as to whether he had sent the message.

"I got it through, all right," said Bert, "and I don't think there's much
doubt that somebody received it. Now it's only a question of holding out
until help comes."

"It'll have to come mighty soon," declared Buck, who had seemed much
surprised at Bert's safe return; "at dawn or jest before is the time the
varmints will close in upon us."

The hours dragged on and, as Buck had predicted, just before dawn a
hideous yell rent the air, and a shower of bullets whined over the heads
of the besieged party.

They grasped their firearms and prepared for a desperate encounter. But
for a few minutes after the outbreak all was silent as the grave, and in
the slight respite the first pale streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern
sky.

"Thank God for the light, anyway," exclaimed Dick fervently; "at least
we'll be able to see what we're doing."

Before anybody could reply to this there was another shrill yell, and
against the rapidly lightening sky the defenders could see a vague body
of horsemen charging toward them.

"Shoot!" yelled Buck, suiting the action to the word. "Make every bullet
tell." Outside of the two passengers, who were unarmed and could do
little to aid the defense, there were five men behind the ramparts who
were excellent marksmen. Dick's and Tom's revolvers barked viciously, and
the deadly rifles wielded by Bert and the stage driver made havoc in the
ranks of the attacking braves. Sam, the guard, wielded his heavy Colts
with the skill and sure aim of a veteran, and the Indians broke ranks
under the withering hail of bullets. They wheeled their horses off to
either side of the stoutly defended fortification and galloped out of
range, leaving a number of still figures on the ground.

"First blood for us," shouted Bert exultantly. "I guess we gave them a
warmer reception than they figured on."

"Yes, but they'll be back pretty soon," said Buck. "There's a hundred of
them if there's one, and they would never dare face the tribe again if