h at a run. They are not more than a mile behind at the outside."

"Then I will put you down, Wilfrid," Mr. Atherton said quietly; "that
will give me time to cool down a bit before they arrive. They could not
have come up at a better place for us. It is no use our trying to hide,
they would track us directly. We must make a stand at the mouth of this
defile. It is a good place for defence, and if it were not for this
rascally bush we should have no difficulty in keeping them off. Even as
it is I think we can make a good fight of it. Now, Mrs. Renshaw, will
you and Mrs. Sampson and the child go a little way in and sit down. I
have no doubt we shall be able to beat these fellows back, and if we do
that we can hope to make the rest of our journey without further
molestation."

"Could I be of any use in loading the rifles, Mr. Atherton?"

"I think not, Mrs. Renshaw; it may be a long skirmish, and we shall have
plenty of time to load; and your being here with us and running the risk
of being hit would make us nervous. I think, if you do not mind, we
would much rather know that you are in safety behind us."

"Very well," Mrs. Renshaw said quietly; "I will do what you think best.
We shall be praying for your success until it is over."

Mr. Atherton looked round after the two ladies had gone on. "There is a
bush with a wide ledge of flat ground behind it," he said, pointing to a
little clump of underwood some ten feet above them on the side of the
ravine. "I think, with my help, you can manage to clamber up there,
Wilfrid. Lying down you will be able to fire under the bush and be in
fair shelter. Mr. Sampson and I will hold the path here. If they make a
rush you will be able to help us with your revolver. Up there you will
have the advantage of being able to see movements among the bushes
better than we shall, and can fire down at them; and if it comes to a
hand-to-hand fight will be of more use there than down here."

Wilfrid at once assented. "Stand on my hand and I will hoist you up."
Mr. Atherton raised Wilfrid until he was able to get on to the ledge of
rock behind the bushes. Wilfrid laid himself down there, and with his
knife cut off a few of the lower twigs so that he was able to get a good
view ahead. "Keep yourself well back, lad, and do not raise your head
except to fire. Do you see anything of them?"

"Yes, they are not more than a quarter of a mile away and are scattering
among the bushes. No doubt they caugh