have made it," said Missou, who never crossed a bridge until he
came to it.

"We haven't made it yet, old hoss, not by a long mile, and two
more on top o' that. They're beginning to pump lead already. Huh!
Got to drap your pills closer'n that 'fore y'u worry me."

"I believe he's daid, anyway," said Missou presently, peering
down into the white face of the unconscious man.

"Got to hang onto the remains, anyhow, for Miss Helen. Those
coyotes are too much of the wolf breed to leave him with them."

"Looks like they're gittin' the aim some better," equably
remarked the other a minute later, when a spurt of sand flew up
in front of him.

"They're ce'tainly crowding us. I expaict I better send them a
'How-de-do?' so as to discourage them a few." He took as careful
aim as he could on the galloping horse, but his bullet went wide.

"They're gaining like sixty. It's my offhand opinion we better
stop at that bunch of trees and argue some with them. No use
buck-jumpin' along to burn the wind while they drill streaks of
light through us."

"All right. Take the trees. Y'u'll be able to get into the game
some then."

They debouched from the road to the little grove and slipped from