"
"It'll have to come mighty soon," declared Buck, who had seemed much
surprised at Bert's safe return; "at dawn or jest before is the time the
varmints will close in upon us."
The hours dragged on and, as Buck had predicted, just before dawn a
hideous yell rent the air, and a shower of bullets whined over the heads
of the besieged party.
They grasped their firearms and prepared for a desperate encounter. But
for a few minutes after the outbreak all was silent as the grave, and in
the slight respite the first pale streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern
sky.
"Thank God for the light, anyway," exclaimed Dick fervently; "at least
we'll be able to see what we're doing."
Before anybody could reply to this there was another shrill yell, and
against the rapidly lightening sky the defenders could see a vague body
of horsemen charging toward them.
"Shoot!" yelled Buck, suiting the action to the word. "Make every bullet
tell." Outside of the two passengers, who were unarmed and could do
little to aid the defense, there were five men behind the ramparts who
were excellent marksmen.
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