"There ain't no sort of saying," his uncle replied. "I reckon no one ever found out yet how long a red-skin's patience will last. Time ain't nothing to them. They will follow up this cañon both sides till they are sartin that there ain't no place where a man can climb up. If there ain't, they will just squat in that valley. Like enough they will send for their lodges and squaws and fix themselves there till winter comes, and even then they might not go. They have got wood and water. Some of them will hunt and bring in meat, which they will dry for the winter; and they are just as likely to stay here as to go up to their villages."
A vigilant watch was kept up all night, two of them being always on guard at the top of the barrier. As soon as morning broke, the three horses were got over, and half an hour later Harry and Sam Hicks rode off down the cañon, while the others took their places on guard, keeping themselves well behind the rocks, between which they looked out. They had not long to wait, for an Indian was seen to dart rapidly across the mouth of the cañon. Two rifles cracked out, but the Indian's appearance and disappearance was so sudden and quick that they had no reason to believe that they had hit him.
"They will know now that we are here, and are pretty wide awake," Ben said. "You may be sure that he caught sight of these rocks."
A minute or two later several rifles flashed from among the fallen stones at the mouth of the gorge.
"Keep your eyes open," Jerry said, "and when you see the slightest movement, fire. But don't do it unless you feel certain that you make out a head or a limb. We've got to show the Utes that it is sartin death to try and crawl up here."
Almost immediately afterwards a head appeared above the stones, the chief's rifle cracked, and at the same instant the head disappeared.
"Do you think you got him, chief?"
"Think so, not sure. Leaping Horse does not often miss his mark at two hundred yards."
Almost directly afterwards Tom fired. An Indian sprang to his feet and bounded away.
"What did you fire at, Tom?"