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better.
A star came out, and the night air grewmore chilly . Will glanced over at the
woman. "Ma'am, did you have anything to eat with you?"
"Yes, there's some bread and coffee, and some jerky."
"There's some'at in my parcel in the boot," the miner offered. "You can get
at it easier, but without water it won't help much."
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Val thought of the olla back at the stage station, and its deliciously cool
water. Then he tried to forget it and think about other things. He tried to
rememberMyra , but the only thing he could recall was her voice, how harsh it
had sounded on that last night.
More stars came out, and they seemed like distant campfires on the field of
the night sky, as though a vast army camped out there, far away.
Will Reilly sat up, wrapping his arms about his knees. "Don't worry, Val," he
said easily. "I have been in worse spots. Although not many," he added, more
grimly. "At least, they won't attack us in the night."
He added, "When this is over I think it will be time to go east again."
Val said suddenly, "I might he able to crawl to the water."
Willlooked at him. "You'd try it, too, wouldn't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Don't. That would be dangerous, even for an Indian."
"I'm small, sir. I take up less room than you, sir, or any of the others.
When I lived with the Schmitts, we used to play Indian all the time. I could
crawl and hide better than anybody."
"You just wait."
"We need water, sir. I know there'd be Indians there, but they wouldn't be
looking for a boy."
"No," Will Reilly said firmly.
Then Val slept, and when he awoke it was very cold. He dug himself deeper
into the sand and tried to turn his jacket collar higher. For a long time he
lay awake, thinking about the rocks where Egan Gates had said the water was.
They formed a steep wall, but they were very broken, with cracks and chimneys
everywhere; there were fallen rocks all down the mountainside. A boy could
hide where a man would have no chance.
Val would never forget that night. The stars seemed brighter and closer than
they ever had, or ever would again. Presently he heard a vague stirring, and
then what sounded like a scuffle.
After that there was somebody panting nearby, and he heard Bridger Downs's
voice. "In the side ... I don't think it's bad. He had the same idea I had."
"Did you kill him?"
"I killed him. Oh, he was tough and slippery. He got the knife into me slick
as a whistle, but I grabbed his wrist and held on while I clobbered him with
my fist. Then I got hold of his throat, dug my fingers in, and smashed his
head against the rocks."
"How are the horses?"
"They seemed all right, but they'll be needin' water."
Finally Val slept again, and was awakened by the slam of a gunshot, and he
saw Will holding one of the new rifles. The drummer was loading another. "I
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thought our little demonstration of shooting might scare them off," he said.
Willlit the stub of his cigar with his left hand. "Apaches don't scare worth
a damn," he said. And he added, "Although they take notions."
"Notions?"
"Watch for their chief. If you kill their chief they'll back off until
they've chosen another. They might leave altogether."
There was no attack, and no Apaches were seen. Val grew restless. He thought
the Indians were probably gone. His mouth was parched and his skin was hot,
but he did not complain. Nobody else was complaining, and he was determined
not to be the first.
They waited, sleeping by turns. It was midafternoon before Will Reilly
suddenly reached over and shookDowns awake. "They're coming."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. They've been filtering down from the rocks, working closer and
closer. I think they're going to try a rush."
Egan Gates pulled himself up, his face white and strained. The miner had lost
blood, and the lack of water was not helping him.
Will turned to Val. "You and Dobie load. Make every move count now. I believe
they're planning to do us in."
When they came it was from scarcely thirty yards off. They seemed to spring
directly out of the rocks. They fired a volley and charged.
All the guns were loaded, and the Apaches were met by a crashing volley, the
men firing as fast as they could work the levers on their rifles. Val knew the
attack would have to be beaten back or they would not survive, and he emptied
his rifle as swiftly as possible.
Three Apaches made the circle of rocks. A barrel-chested one vaulted the
rocks from behind and rushed at Will's back, a knife in his hand.
Val, unable to think what to do, threw his rifle at the Indian's legs, and
the man stumbled and went to his knees. Both boys leaped on him, Dobie
striking hard with a rock.
The Apache threw them off and lunged to his feet. They grabbed his legs and
he swung down with a knife at Val's back. Will, hearing the scuffle behind
him, wheeled and fired hisWinchester at point-blank range.
The heavy slug caught the Apache squarely in the chest and he fell back. Will
fired again, then turned and clubbed his rifle at one who was fighting
desperately with the wounded Gates, who had only one useful hand. The butt
caught the Apache behind the neck and he went down, his skull crushed right at
the top of the spine.
The two Apaches were tossed over the rocks. The remaining one of the three
was backed against the rocks with Bridger Downs's .44 jammed into his belly.
"Hold him, Bridger," Reilly said. "We mustn't let him go to warn the others.
Our boys haven't had time to get around to the other end of the pass. If he
gets away and tells the others about all the rifles and ammunition we've got,
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they'll know it's a trap."
The drummer was quick. "We'd better send up the signal for the attack. As for
him" he gestured toward the Indian and drew his knife "we'd better let him
abscond right here."
The Apache lunged suddenly, springing to the top of the rocks,then leaping
over. Reilly fired a shot in the air, and let him go.
"Let's hope it works," the drummer said. He glanced at Bridger. "I had to
trust you knew what abscond meant, and I was sure the Indian would not."
Bridger Downs spat, and gave the drummer a hard look. "I know whatabscond
means, my friend, and if I was you I'd forget what it means."
The drummer smiled."Of course. This is all among friends, isn't it?"
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