Mind, I say that such may be the case, but I ain't sure that it is."

"I shouldn't wonder a bit, now, if that isn't it exactly," said Fred, who
was quite taken with the ingenious theory of his friend. "It seems to me
that the best thing that we can do is to ride on as fast as we can."

"We've got to run the risk of it being all wrong, and fetching up in the
bosom of the spalpeens; but it's moighty sure we don't make anything by
standing here."

The Irishman turned his horse as near the middle of the canon as possible.
Fred kept close to his side, his mustang behaving so splendidly that he
gave him his unreserved confidence. The average width of the pass was
about a hundred yards, so it will be understood that if a detachment of
men were caught within it they would be compelled to fight at a fearful
disadvantage.

The plan of Mickey and Fred, as they discussed it while riding along, was
to keep up the moderate gallop until close upon the fire. They would then
put their animals to the highest speed and pass the dangerous point as
speedily as possible. They felt no little misgiving as they drew near the
dangerous place, and they continually glanced upward at the rocks
overhead, expecting that a party of Indians would suddenly make their
appearance and open fire.

The first plan was, as they drew near, to run in as close as possible
beneath the rocks on the left, in the belief that, as they overhung so
much, the Indians above could not reach them with a shot. But before the
time came to make the attempt, it was seen that it would not do.
Accordingly, Mickey, who had maintained a line as close as possible to the