“Oh! not much danger of their breaking out through that door,” Adrian assured him. “Once or twice I’ve wondered whether the woman in her blind rage would think to set fire to the place; hoping that she might get out in that way; but
those punchers would put a stop to any risky game like that, I should think.”
“They would if they had their right sense,” averred Donald; “because the chances are three to one that instead of getting free they’d all be smothered there in that store-room.”
“Shall we make our stand here, and together?” asked the other, fingering his repeating gun as though under the conviction that he must speedily have use for the same.
“That was the program, as I understood it,” replied Donald; “we’ve got the choice place, too, where we can command a wide sweep; and when I picked it out I was pretty sure the attack would swing down from out yonder, though you never can tell where lightning’ll strike.”
“Then let’s get down behind all this trash, and lie low,” suggested Adrian; “for if they come riding along, they’ll be apt to send some lead singing in this direction, you can be sure.”
As they had before this time arranged certain nesting places in the midst of the old lumber and such things, thrown into a great heap until it could be taken away at some future date, all the boys had to do now was to snuggle down.
Then, resting their guns over the top of the barricade, they awaited developments, still confident that they would soon have plenty of excitement on their
hands to satisfy any desire for action that might exist in their venturesome young hearts.
So the minutes dragged along, and at last Adrian announced that the hour of midnight had really arrived.