“But they may overtake us?”
“It is your only hope. You’ll have to work lively, for they are trying to surround the stockade. I’ll cover your retreat easy enough.”
Harmon saw that Frank was right.
He did not pause to argue the point further. With quick commands he caused his men to fall back.
The stockade gate in the rear was opened just in time, and the vigilants rushed out upon the prairie.
They set out at a mad gallop for the distant hills.
The cowboys with mad cries followed. But they met with quite a serious obstacle in their pursuit.
The Steam Man kept exasperatingly between them and the vigilants.
From the rear loop-holes of the wagon Barney and Pomp kept up a steady fire with the Winchesters.
Nearly every shot emptied a saddle, and despite their superior numbers, the cowboys soon found it better and safer to keep well out of range.