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Rh the cave. The last hope vanished. Another meal, two at the most, would see their food gone, even if they were successful in holding off a rush.

Whoops sounded from the direction of the main cañon. They were answered from under the ledges by the firemakers. Then silence. The white men peered in vain into the darkness. The starlight was hazy, the floor of the ravine held ample cover of rock and bush and tree for two hundred foes, skilled in stealthy approach, to gather unseen for one sudden, overwhelming attack. The path to the cave, none too wide for one at a time, evened things somewhat, but to command it they would be forced to expose themselves, and the light from the cunningly laid fires below kept the entrance in a lurid glow. Without doubt the reinforcements had brought more rifles.

"We'll have to wait until they try to jump our wall," said Stone. "It'll be warm work. Better have one of us keep loading or they'll break through as soon as we empty our guns."

"Good scheme," said Harvey. His steady voice was reassuring. Stone's own pulses were pumping with excitement and he could hear the heavy breathing of Larkin beside him in the blackness of the shadow and of Healy farther back still. Diamond Dick Harvey showed no signs of perturbation as he eased the guns in his holsters.

"That'll be your job, 'Ealy," said Larkin. "You hain't too scared to slip in cartridges, I s'pose, are yer?"