Page:Allan Dunn--Dead Man's Gold.djvu/239

Rh was at the foot of the ladder, weakly standing against the rock of the chute. There was blood across his bald pate and he seemed dazed. An inkling of what had happened flashed over Stone and he shouted down.

"What's wrong, Harvey? Quick, man."

The old man steadied himself and looked up. Then he stooped and picked up his gun that lay at his feet.

"Healy shot me," he said. "I'm all right. Come on down. I'll look out for 'em."

Stone slid down the rope and Larkin, after one more admonition to the girls, followed him. By the time they reached the bottom the girls had dismounted and come into the comparative shelter of the chute. They had their revolvers in their hands. Harvey was with them. The wounded horse was not badly hurt and Stone put them with the burros.

"Thet skunk cracked at me before I guessed what he was up to," he said. "Figgered 'e'd got me. He sure grooved my old skull. Then he lit out, darn his ornery hide."

Stone swiftly sized up the situation. To attempt to leave the butte would be madness. They would be inevitably surrounded or shot down. Yet to climb to the cave meant abandoning the burros and the horses of the two girls. But there was no help for it. There was plenty of food and with the water in the cavern they could stand a siege. Lola's first words helped the decision.

"A posse will be along here before very long," she said. "We rode ahead to warn you."