The next moment Cohoon slipped a revolver into the girl’s hand.
“White girl armed now,” he said, “now we push through the Modocs.”
“We will, heaven help us! It is the only path to liberty,” said the scout. “When I say ready—”
“Quick!” interrupted Cohoon, in a tone of danger. “Quick, Kit, Jack coming!”
The scout who was stooping for the purpose of crawling upon the besieged red-skins sprung to his feet as a torch shot around a rock, and revealed the redoubtable Jack at the head of a force of his braves.
He needed no further commands to dart forward, and the next moment he was among the savages at the mouth of the cave.
He dropped two before they were aware of the presence of foes, for they heard only the shout of the red reinforcements, and cleared the threshold unhurt.
Cohoon and ’Reesa were not far behind, but the savages had comprehended the true state of affairs before they could join the scout.
The mouth of the passage was obstructed by the bodies of Kit’s victims, and Cohoon, discommoded by his burden, stumbled over one of the forms, and found himself grasped by three Indians before he could rise.
’Reesa sprung to the rescue, for the torches of the reinforcing party revealed the Indian’s situation; but a savage hurled her back, and she rose as Mouseh appeared upon the scene.