For a while they stood their ground.
It was useless to attempt to reply to the shots as Barney was entirely out of range or sight.
But the deadly bullets came down in their midst, and every one fired took a savage off the muster roll.
The Comanches hated to relinquish their position in the pass.
On the other hand, they could not afford to remain in their present position and be exterminated one by one.
There was no other way but to beat a retreat.
There was no way to send a party up to disperse the foe at once. It would require too much time.
So with baffled yells the Indians retreated from the pass.
It was now Frank and Pomp’s turn to act.
Leaving the Steam Horse they began work immediately on the barricade of stones.