“Arms, then?”

“I’m all right, I tell you, only a bit knocked about; but where’s Ned?”

“Along with his father on the upper terrace, giving the Indians a bit of a shot now and then to keep them from coming up after the mules.”

“But can they do it alone?”

“Oh yes; the brutes are sad cowards and don’t like powder and shot at all.”

“There!” cried Chris, leaping to earth and coming close to the American. “Now then, I want to join father.”

“That’s soon done,” said Griggs; “but keep an eye up towards the top yonder, and ’ware arrows.”

“Yes, I know,” said Chris excitedly.

“Of course you do; but they’ll be pretty shy of showing themselves now, after our bit of shooting.”

“Walk quicker,” said Chris. “But tell me, how did the enemy attack you?”