“Two might stay here and keep the ledge covered while the others went out,” suggested Harry, “and play the game that way. With our rifles we’d make things so warm for the bunch they’d hardly dare show themselves. And after the first two got out, why, they could hold the fort for the others. How’s that, Ned?”
“Not bad,” replied the one addressed, “only I’m afraid there may be others near by. I heard some one shout just then, which I take it must be a signal. There goes another yell from across the canyon.”
“By jinks! I believe we’re surrounded!” ejaculated Jimmy, and strange as it might seem, there was something not unlike a vein of gratification in his voice, as though the boy really felt pleased to know they were in for another spell of action.
“We’re going to have a fight, that’s certain!” announced Jack, handling his weapon with nervous fingers, in sharp contrast to Ned’s steady ways.
“Well, this ought to make a pretty fair sort of a fort, I should think,” Harry remarked, as he indicated the slanting rock under which they had crawled, and which sheltered them fairly well from any peril that might be hovering above.
“But if they once get up above us in the canyon, and below as well, they could pour in what is called an enfilading fire, and make it mighty unpleasant under our rock mushroom fort,” Jack explained.
“Which will be apt to happen, sooner or later, if they mean to give us trouble,” assented Ned.
“Then we’d better get a hustle on and see if we c’n side-step any,” Jimmy was heard to remark.
“Keep watching, up and down, and shoot at any moving thing you glimpse,” Ned told them, as he started to creep further under the shelf.
“Where are you going, Ned?” Harry asked, filled with curiosity.