“Our chance is slim, but we may make it,” Sandy breathed in his chum’s ear. “You see, Dick, there’s the danger of being cut off. We may walk straight into a trap.”
“You think they may climb up from their side of the ravine and head us off.”
“Yes,” shuddered Sandy. “It will be sure to happen if we don’t hurry.”
“Encumbered as we are with this pony, I don’t see how we can hurry. The farther we go, the harder it’s going to be. We’ll never reach that high point of rocks up there at this rate.”
“Let’s wait here until Toma catches up with us. I think myself we’re risking our lives needlessly by taking the pony along. He’s too much of a hindrance.”
Toma came up and the situation was explained to him.
“All right, we unload pony,” he said tersely, suiting the action to the word. “Sandy, you, Dick stand by ready with guns.”
The task took but a moment. They were off again at a dead run, while the pack-horse stood gazing reproachfully after them.
CHAPTER XV
WITHIN THE BARRICADE
Toma poked out his head from behind a gray pile of rocks and looked down. Far below him, at the bottom of the ravine, he beheld a sight which caused his hands to clinch involuntarily and his heart to quicken a beat or two in righteous indignation.