skillful veteran, feeling that his aid would make the repulse of Slade a
certainty.

A rifle cracked suddenly in the bushes to their right, and then another
by his side cracked so suddenly that only a second came between. Dick
heard a bullet whistle over their heads, but he believed that the one
from his comrade's rifle had struck true.

"I've no way of telling just now," said the sergeant, calmly, "but I
don't believe that fellow will bother any more. If we can wing another
they're likely to let us alone and we can go on. They must know by
the trail that we're now two instead of one, and that their danger has
doubled."

Dick had felt that the danger to their pursuers had more than doubled.
He had an immense admiration for the sergeant, who was surely showing
himself a host. The man, trained so long in border war, was thoroughly
in his element. His thick, powerful figure was drawn up in the fashion
of a panther about to spring. Bulky as he was he showed ease and grace,
and wary eyes, capable of reading every sign, continually scanned the
thickets.

"They know just where we are, of course," whispered the sergeant, "but if
we stay close they'll never get a good shot at us."

Dick caught sight of a head among some bushes and fired. The head
dropped back so quickly that he could not tell whether or not his bullet
sped true. After a long wait the sergeant suggested that they creep away.

"I think they've had enough," he said. "They've certainly lost one man,