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"Yep," said Billy, and fired again. "Got that one too. Say, they're tough-lookin'

guys; but I guess they won't come so fast next time. Those two were right in the

open, workin' up to us on their bellies. They must a-thought we was sleepin'."

For an hour Billy neither saw nor heard any sign of the enemy, though several

times he raised his hat above the breastwork upon the muzzle of his carbine to

draw their fire.

It was midafternoon when the sound of distant rifle fire came faintly to the ears of

the two men from somewhere far below them.

"The boys must be comin'," whispered Eddie Shorter hopefully.

For half an hour the firing continued and then silence again fell upon the

mountains. Eddie began to wander mentally. He talked much of Kansas and his

old home, and many times he begged for water.

"Buck up, kid," said Billy; "the boys'll be along in a minute now an' then we'll get

you all the water you want."

But the boys did not come. Billy was standing up now, stretching his legs, and

searching up and down the canyon for Indians. He was wondering if he could

chance making a break for the valley where they stood some slight chance of

meeting with their companions, and even as he considered the matter seriously

there came a staccato report and Billy Byrne fell forward in a heap.

God!" cried Eddie. "They got him now, they got him."

Byrne stirred and struggled to rise.

Like'll they got me," he said, and staggered to his knees.

Over the breastwork he saw a half-dozen Indians running rapidly toward the

shelter--he saw them in a haze of red that was caused not by blood but by anger.

With an oath Billy Byrne leaped to his feet. From his knees up his whole body

was exposed to the enemy; but Billy cared not. He was in a berserker rage.

Whipping his carbine to his shoulder he let drive at the advancing Indians who

were now beyond hope of cover. They must come on or be shot down where they

were, so they came on, yelling like devils and stopping momentarily to fire upon

the rash white man who stood so perfect a target before them.

But their haste spoiled their marksmanship. The bullets zinged and zipped

against the rocky little fortress, they nicked Billy's shirt and trousers and hat,

and all the while he stood there pumping lead into his assailants--not

hysterically; but with the cool deliberation of a butcher slaughtering beeves.

285

The Mucker