come to the conclusion that assistance could not arrive
in time, the log stopped. I looked through my glass and saw the cause.

"Sergeant," I exclaimed, "the log has struck a rock! Open the door and
draw a bead on it! Don't let a man leap over it to remove the stone!
Corporal, guard the east window!"

The sergeant stood ready at the open door. All the efforts of the
prostrate men behind the log had no effect, except to swing the end
farthest from the obstacle slightly ahead.

"There seems to be nothing for them to do but to remove the stone.
Keep a sharp eye on the log, sergeant!"

I had hardly spoken when a sudden discharge of rifles ran irregularly
along the length of the log, and under cover of the fire and smoke a
stalwart warrior leaped over, raised the stone, and had borne it
nearly to the top, when Sergeant Cunningham's rifle spoke sharply.

The stone dropped on our side; the Indian fell forward, with his arms
extended towards his friends, who pulled him over the log, and he was
screened from our sight. The volley of the Navajos did us no harm.

Corporal Frank replenished the fire on our roof from time to time, and
our vigilant watch went on. At last the sergeant, who still stood at
the open door, exclaimed, "Lieutenant, the stone is moving! It's
dropping into the ground!"

"It's gone, and here comes our fate," I said. "They must have dug
under the log with their knives and sunk the stone."

"Yes, sir, and they're safe to reach the cabin door and roast us out."

"If there were two or three more stones in the way, sergeant, the
delay they would cause might serve us until help comes."

"I'll run out there with one, Mr. Duncan," said Frank.

"No, laddie," replied the sergeant, "that's a duty for me. I'll drop a
couple there in a minute."

"And when you return, sergeant, I will drop two more," said I.

We went quickly to work to carry out our plan. The corporal once more
mended the fire, and then we selected from the loose rubbish which had
been torn from the top of the chimney several large-sized stones.

Removing his shoes, the sergeant, with my assistance, raised two big
stones to his breast, and stood in the doorway with them clasped
firmly in his arms. I took the revolvers in my hands, whispered the
word, and he started out at a rapid walk, setting his feet down
carefully and without noise. He dropped the stones, one before the
other, without attracting attention, and regained the cabin without a