tle," asserted Mr. Cassidy some time later when
he looked back. "You stopped 'em coming straight, but they're spreading
out to work up around us. Now, if we had good cayuses instead of these
wooden wonders, we could run away from 'em dead easy, draw their best
mounted warriors to the front an' then close with 'em. Good thing their
cayuses are well tired out, for as it is we've got to make a stand purty
soon. Gee! They don't like you, Red; they're calling you names in the
sign language. Just look at 'em cuss you!"

"How much water have you got?" inquired his friend with anxiety.

"Canteen plumb full. How're you fixed?"

"I got the same, less one drink. That gives us enough for a couple of
days with some to spare, if we're careful," Mr. Connors replied.
New Mexican canteens are built on generous lines and are known as
life-preservers.

"Look at that glory-hunter go!" exclaimed Red, watching a brave who was
riding half a mile to their right and rapidly coming abreast of them.
"Wonder how he got over there without us seeing him."

"Here; stop him!" suggested Hopalong, holding out his Sharps. "We can't
let him get ahead of us and lay in ambush--that's what he's playing to
do."

"My gun's good, and better, for me, at this range; but you know, I can't
hit a jack-rabbit going over rough country as fast as that feller is,"
replied his companion, standing up in his stirrups and firing.

"Huh! Never touched him! But he's edging off a-plenty. See him cuss you.
What's he calling you, anyhow?"

"Aw, shut up! How the devil do _I_ know? I don't talk with my arms."

"Are you superstitious, Red?"

"No! Shut up!"

"Well, I am. See that feller over there? If he gets in front of us it's
a shore sign that somebody's going to get hurt. He'll have plenty of
time to get cover an' pick us off as we come up."

"Don't you worry--his cayuse is deader'n ours. They must 'a' been
pushing on purty hard the last few days. See it stumble?--what'd I tell
you!"

"Yes; but they're gaining on us slow but shore. We've got to make a
stand purty soon--how much further do you reckon that infernal shack is,
anyhow?" Hopalong asked sharply.

"'T ain't fur off--see it any minute now."

"Here," remarked Hopalong, holding out his rifle, "stencil yore mark on
his hide; catch him just as he strikes the top of that little rise."

"Ain't got time--that shack can't be much further."

And it wasn't, for as they galloped over a rise they saw, half a mil