And as he heard their yells of defiance he heaved a mighty sigh of relief which ended in a grunt of delight as he saw the figure of the Indian lookout topple and pitch to the bottom even while the report of a pistol rang out.
"That was Jesse's shot, I'll bet!" he chuckled.
But his exultation vanished as he saw the bucks stretched out on the ledge move along to more stones.
And then it was that, tempting Fate for the second time, he had shouted his warning to his pals to flee for their lives.
Too late was it for the redskins to save their missiles as his cry rang out.
But even as the boulders were hurtling to the bottom of the canyon, the braves leaped to their feet and charged him.
So terrible was their anger, that they almost crushed the bandit as they pressed about him.
"Have your fun if you want," grunted Comanche Tony. "I can't die but once. But it'll be the sorriest work you devils ever did if you do kill me!"
The tone in which the fearless old Indian fighter uttered this defiance was as calm and cool as though he were talking to a group of children instead of to a pack of blood-thirsty savages.
His gameness amazed his captors, though it only made them crush him against the rocks the more furiously.