“Hurrah for Joe! Bully for Joe!” Even the Yavapais might have cheered—but Nan-ta-je had been just in time. Scarcely had the uproar of banging guns and howling warriors and shrieking squaws and wailing children been renewed, when down from above rushed a tremendous boulder, bursting like a bomb-shell upon the wall itself.
“Hooh!” ejaculated Micky, astonished.
The firing slackened, everybody outside looked up. On the very top of the canyon, right over the cave mouth, were many figures—soldiers—and Indians! Outlined against the sky, they appeared curiously small.
“By the great horn spoon, thar’s Burns!” exclaimed Joe Felmer.
Surely! Jimmie had forgotten about the Captain Burns and Lieutenant Thomas company, but here they were, soldiers and Pimas, crowding the rim of the cliff, and gazing over as far as they dared. They had returned from following the pony trail, and had heard the shooting. Several of the soldiers were hanging part way—waist far, that is—from the edge, and held in place by other soldiers behind them were aiming their revolvers. The cliff slanted back, above the cave, so that persons above might see its threshold, and the rampart before—and, of course, see the warriors between the two.
But that rock! Here came another! Watch out—soldiers had rolled a second great boulder to the rim—they gave it a final shove, and bounding, ploughing, hurtling, it brought an avalanche down the face of the precipice and landing truly in the mouth of the cave burst thunderously into a hundred pieces.
A third boulder followed immediately. Then two at once. The soldiers and scouts below were cheering and shouting and shooting again, but the crashing of the boulders was louder. The dust they made was denser than the powder smoke—the mouth of the cave could not be seen. But somewhere in that veil were the wretched Yavapais. Jimmie felt sick.
Even the death chant had ceased, across there. Anyway, it could not be heard amidst the other uproar. The Captain Burns men worked hard. The rampart was being crushed and buried. The Major Brown men were standing up while they fired; they were so excited. Jimmie and Micky were standing.