The smell of powder broke the spell that had fallen upon Jesse's comrades.
With rousing cheers, they greeted the falling form.
Viciously their pistols barked as they emptied them at the towering cliff.
But their exultation was short lived.
Yells, hoarse with rage, broke from the Indians.
High above them rang some commands in the native tongue.
And the next instant a deluge of rocks and stones was launched from the cliff above.
Fortunately for the little band of outlaws, the Indians had misjudged their position and the avalanche of missiles fell to the south of them.
Some of the scattering stones, however, struck the bandits, inflicting flesh and scalp wounds.
Walled in between the two sides of the canyon, the din was deafening.