Emma sank back, complaining to herself. Stacy was nowhere in sight, but they knew that he was in hiding, for he had disappeared at the first shot fired by Sam Conifer.
The firing from the bushes ceased suddenly, the defense of the camp probably having grown too warm, as the Overlanders reasoned out the situation. Now the three men fairly riddled the bushes with their shooting, sweeping the entire spread of foliage for several yards to the right and left of them.
A sharp cry from one of the girls drew the attention of Jim-Sam and Joe Bindloss to them.
“Horses!” shouted Grace.
The three men instantly divined her meaning. The attackers had taken to their mounts, and, with quick perception of what their defenders’ next action would be, the Overland girls snatched up rifles and thrust them into the hands of the men as the latter ran for the open.
The heavy report of a rifle before the three men were clear of the camp, was the first intimation that Stacy Brown had come out of hiding. He was shooting at the retreating horsemen, now that it was reasonably safe for him to do so. A few seconds later Jim-Sam and Joe Bindloss were firing at the sound of retreating hoof-beats, and they kept on firing until the hoof-beats finally died away.
“Hark!” exclaimed Tom Gray as the sound of rifle fire from the Overland camp reached them.
“I heah it,” answered Two-gun Pete. “Rifles! They aire at it fer keeps.”
“Then let’s go. Man, they need us!” urged Tom, his tone reflecting his excitement.