tunately retaining his hold of the
bridle as the cob scrambled up.

Just then, as the Indians came yelling on, and Bart in his confusion
felt that he must either use rifle or knife, he could not tell which,
there was a rush of hoofs, a quick check, and a hand gripped him by the
collar.

For a moment he turned to defend himself, but as he did so he saw that
it was a friend, and his hand closed upon the Indian pony's mane, for it
was the Beaver come to his help; and spurring hard, he cantered off with
Bart, half running, half lifted at every plunge as the pony made towards
where their first friend was waiting rifle in hand.

"Let me try--draw him in," panted Bart, gripping his own pony's mane
hard as it raced on close beside the Beaver's; and with a hand upon
each, he gave a bound and a swing and landed in his saddle, just as the
Apaches halted to fire another volley.

Black Boy did not rear up this time, and Bart now saw the reason of the
last evolution, feeling thankful that the poor beast had not been more
badly hit. His hurt was painful enough, no doubt, the rifle-ball having
cut one of his ears right through, making it bleed profusely.

But there was no time to think of the pony's hurts while bullets were
whistling about them from behind; and now Bart could see the cause of
the Beaver's alarm signal, and bitterly regretted that he had not
responded and turned at once, the few minutes he had spent in continuing
his inspection having been a waste of time sufficient to place all of
them in deadly peril.

For there far out on the plain was a very large body of the Apaches
coming on at full gallop, having evidently espied them at last, and they
were riding now so as to cut them off from their friends, and drive them
back into the corner formed by the mountain and the canyon, a spot where
escape would have been impossible even without the presence of a second
hostile party of Indians to make assurance doubly sure.

"Ride! ride!" the Beaver said hoarsely; and in his excitement his
English was wonderfully clear and good. "Don't mind the dogs behind;
they cannot hit us as we go."

All the same, though, as Bart listened to their yells and the reports of
their rifles, he shuddered, and thought of the consequences of one
bullet taking effect on horse or man.

Every moment, though, as they rode on, the cries of the Apaches behind
sounded more faint, but the danger in front grew more deadly.

They picked up first one