At that juncture the Irishman detected a movement among the wood and undergrowth of the ravine, and his rifle was at his shoulder like a flash.  Fred understood, or, rather, suspected, the cause of the trouble, though he saw nothing.  Only a few seconds elapsed when the trigger was pulled.  The sharp crack of the weapon had scarcely broke the stillness when the shriek of a warrior was heard only a few feet away, followed by a threshing of the vines and vegetation, as the comrades of the slain brave caught and hurriedly dragged him back toward the greater ravine beyond.

“That’ll taich ’em to be more respictful in the traitment of gintlemen,” remarked Mickey, who had recovered something of his natural recklessness, and was reloading his gun with as much sangfroid as though he had just dropped an antelope, and wished to be ready for another that was expected along the same path.

Fred had detected the rustling movement among the shrubbery made by the redskin in stealing upon them, but he saw nothing of the savage himself, and was not a little startled when his friend fired so quickly, and the result was so manifest.

If the victim of this rather hastily fired shot was unable to appreciate the lesson from its having a too personal application to himself, his companions appreciated it fully.  It taught them that the way of pursuit was not open and undisputed by any means, and the few who were hurrying forward rather rashly were not only checked, but forced backward.  Matters, for the moment, were brought to a stand still.

“They’ll be back again,” added Mickey, after reloading his piece, “and, as they mean to have our topknots, as the hunters say, we’ll wipe out as many as we kin before they git them.  And now, me laddy, will ye allow me to make a suggestion?”

“What is it?”

“That ye kaap a little more out of raich.  If one of the spalpeens craap up, and shoots ye dead, ye’ll be sorry ye didn’t take me advice, when ye come to think the matter over coolly.  Here’s a sort of boulder which seems to have cared in from above.  Do ye squaze in behind that.”

“And what will you do?” asked Fred, acting upon his advice.

“Being as there isn’t room to squaze in wid ye, I’ll take my stand a little out here, where I can secure the protection of a similar piece of masonry, and where the spalpeens can’t git by me without giving the countersign and showing a pass.”

The lad did not specially like this arrangement, as it really retired him, but their quarters were so cramped that they had to dispose of themselves as best they could.  He was obliged to feel that practically he was of no account, as his only pistol had become useless hours before.  Accordingly, he forced himself in behind the boulder pointed out, and found that his position was safe against any treacherous shot from the front.