centre of the canon, suddenly sheered his mustang to the right, until he
nearly grazed the wall there. Then he put him on a dead run, Fred Munson
doing the same, with very little space between the two steeds. A few
plunges brought them directly opposite the signal-fire, and every nerve
was strained.

Both beasts were capable of magnificent speed and the still air became
like a hurricane as the horsemen cut their way through it. Fred glanced
upward at the crest of the rocks on the left and fancied that he saw
figures standing there, preparing to fire. He hammered his heels against
the ribs of his mustang and leaned forward upon his neck, in the hope of
making the aim as difficult as possible.

Still no reports of guns were heard; and, after continuing the terrific
gait for a quarter of a mile, they gradually decreased it until it became
a moderate walk, and the riders again found themselves side by side. Both
had looked behind them a dozen times since passing the dangerous point,
but had not obtained a glimpse of an Indian.

"I thought I saw a number just as we were opposite," said Fred; "but, if
so, what has become of them?"

"Ye didn't obsarve any at all, for I kipt raising me eye that way, and
they weren't there. The whole thing is a moighty _puzzle_, as our tacher
used to remark when the sum in addition became so big that he had to set
down one number and carry anither. The spalpeens must have manufactured
that fire for our benefit, and where's the good that it has done them?"

"Can't it be that it was for something else? Can't it be that they took us
for Indians, or perhaps they haven't seen us at all, and don't know that