not approach within a half dozen yards of the top. They were shut in on
every hand.

"We can't run any further," said the Irishman, after a hasty glance at the
situation. "We are cotched as fairly as ever was a mouse in a trap, and it
now remains for us to peg away, and go under doing the best we can. Have
ye your pistol?"

"Yes; I picked it up again, after throwing it in the face of the grizzly,
but it isn't loaded."

"Then it ain't of much account, as me mither used to say in her
affectionate references to me father; but if one of the spalpeens happen
to come onto ye too suddent like, ye might scare him by shoving that into
his eyes. I've got the powder for the same, but the bullets won't fit it,
so I'll have to do the shooting."

They were at bay and the Irishman was right in his declaration that they
could do nothing but fight it out as best they might. The question of
further flight was settled by the trap in which they were caught.

They paused, expecting to hear the tramp of the Indians behind them, but,
as it continued quiet, Mickey ventured upon a more critical inspection of
their fortress, as it may be termed. He found little which has not already
been mentioned, except the fact that the wall on their left sloped inward,
as it ascended, to such a degree that the width at the top was several
feet less than at the bottom. This was an important advantage, for, in
case they were attacked from above, it was in their power to place
themselves beyond the immediate reach of a whole war party by any means at
their command.