ck!"

A dash was made after the Beaver to a fresh patch of cover, and the
firing from above and below became so fierce that the position grew one
of dire extremity.

"Look out, my lads!" cried the frontiersman; "they're getting together
for a rush. You must each bring down your man."

There was no mistaking the plan of the Indians now, and Bart could see
them clustering into some bushes just at the foot of the mountain where
it ran perpendicularly down, forming part of the canyon wall. They
seemed to be quite thirty strong, and a bold rush must have meant death
to the little party, unless they could reach the chimney; and apparently
the savages coming up from below had advanced so far that the Beaver had
not been able to seize that stronger point.

"Keep cool, Master Bart. We must stand fast, and give 'em such a sharp
fire as may check them. As soon as we've fired, you make a run for it,
my lad, straight for the chimney. Never mind anybody else, but risk the
firing, and run in and climb up as fast as you can."

"And what about you, Joses?" asked Bart.

"I'll stop and cover your retreat, my lad; and if we don't meet again,
tell the Doctor I did my best; and now God bless you! good-bye. Be
ready to fire."

"I'm ready, Joses, and I shan't go," replied Bart firmly.

"You won't go? But I order you to go, you young dog!" cried Joses,
fiercely.

"Well, of all the--look out, Beaver! Fire, Master Bart! Here they
come!"

Quite a volley rang out as some five-and-twenty Indians came leaping
forward, yelling like demons, and dashing down upon the little party.
Two of this number fell, but this did not check them, and they were
within fifty yards of Bart, who was rapidly re-charging, when Joses
roared out: "Knives--knives out! Don't run!"

The bravery of the Indians, of Joses, and Bart would have gone as
nothing at such a time as this, for they were so terribly outnumbered
that all they could have done would have been to sell their lives as
dearly as they could. In fact, their fates seemed to be sealed, when
help came in a very unexpected way, and turned the tide of affairs.

The savage Apaches had reduced the distance to thirty yards now, and
Bart felt quite dizzy with excitement as he fired his piece and brought
down one of the enemy, whose ghastly, painted breasts seemed to add to
the horror of the situation.

Another moment or two, and then he knew that the struggle would come,
and dropping his rifle,