Thinking it unsafe to remain near the mouth of the cave, our friends withdrew to the shelter of the rocks. Hardly had they done so when some shots rang out, coming from above the cave.
"They must have gone to the rear!" cried Mark. "What shall we do?"
"It may be a ruse," said Maybe Dixon. "That wasn't the signal for us!"
"Look! look!" called out Peckham.
He pointed to the mouth of the cave. A mass of rocks had fallen, all but closing up the opening.
"Wonder if that was done on purpose," said Mark. "It is funny they should fall just at this time!"
A moment later came three shots in rapid succession from the top of the cliffs.
"There's the signal!" cried the under-sheriff from Missouri.
"Come on!" returned Maybe Dixon. "Three of us can go up and the rest stay here," and off he sped, followed by Mark and Peckham.
How he got to the top of the cliffs Mark hardly knew. But once there he found a lively fight going on. The first Mexican had been captured by Andrew West, Si, and Bob, but the other fellow had fired on them, and now Sag Ruff and Morgan Fitzsimmons were in the mix-up, each on horseback.