"They will trail us down."
"To these rocks?"
"Yes."
"And then?"
"And then if they find me they will see that the rising sun looks on one less Ute in the world," was Ulna's reply, given with his habitual calmness.
"But we will fight," said Sam, stoutly. "And if it comes to dying, we will die together, and the enemy will make nothing by it."
"Ha! dey's startin' a fiah down dar by the spring," said Ike, who had been peering through the darkness in the direction the Apaches had taken.
This was true. A column of luminous smoke, followed by a fountain of sparks and flame, shot into the calm night air near the spring.
The Indians were using the fuel Ike and Wah Shin had gathered, and by the light of the dancing flames their slender, half-naked figures could be seen.
Sam counted thirteen warriors. All appeared to be well armed with rifles, and the red paint on their faces told that they were out on no mission of peace.