n several
directions, mostly in that from which danger had shown itself, and with
the full intention of firing at the first enemy who tried to reach the
spot which commanded his resting-place. But the silence continued, and
there was no sign of a renewed attack.

Then all at once there was a fresh beating of the pony's hoofs from
below, where everything was hidden. This was followed by a sharp
scrambling sound, and again by a tremendous rush as of earth and stones
sliding down for awhile before reaching the bottom with a crash.

"My poor nag!" groaned Chris, and in imagination he saw the crushed and
bleeding body of the sturdy little steed lying motionless amidst the
heap of stones.

The fancy was so horribly vivid that he shivered as if from a cold wind
passing over him, while all the time he was bathed with perspiration.

The old dread of slipping from the narrow ledge upon which he lay came
back, and with a terrible feeling of despair he waited for the moment
when he would again be falling swiftly through the air to share the fate
of his mount.

He had just reached this point when, sounding rather faint and distant
but perfectly clear, he heard a familiar voice calling him by name.

But in his state of painful agitation he could make no reply, only lie
motionless and ready to ask himself whether he had not conjured up the
call himself.

But it was no fancy! It was his father's voice, sounding as if sent
forth with a great effort between hands held on either side of the
speaker's lips.

"Chris! Chris!" And perfectly clearly now a repetition of the words in
a husky whisper from somewhere close at hand.

The Indians were above him, he knew, and it was like telling them
exactly where he lay; but the boy felt that at all risks he must reply,
and bending over a little so as to direct his voice downwards, he
shouted--

"Ahoy! Here!"

_Ahoy! Here_!

The softly-whispered echo of the cry, not from close at hand, but from
the face of the cliff far away.

But there was another and more ominous sound, or rather burst of sounds,
at this, for a chorus of savage yells arose from the top of the cliff
above him, and he knew that the Indians must have exposed themselves
once more, for a couple of shots rang out from far below, raising
strange echoes from the end of the valley, and once more there was the
terrible silence in which Chris crouched hopelessly, for more than ever
now he felt the crux in which he was