Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders on the Great American Desert

l after Hippy jerked him from his pony, suddenly awakened to a reali

and fired, but the bullet went over Hippy's head for the ve

he pony, and the rider tumbl

of the water hol

ns!" he shouted to the visit

part of his left arm, but the man who had fired the second shot got his reward in

commanded Hi Lang. "

ut the desert riders' ponies, under the touching up they were getting from the revolvers of the defenders, were making careful shooting impossible for their riders. The defenders had the advantage

e with weapons and horses. Several, too, had been hit or unhorsed, though the Ov

under them!" commanded Hi

," protested Grace. "The

k aim at a rider who was jerking his rifle from t

arty of ruffians, was still in the water tank where Lieutenant Wingate had kicked him and where the guide had then put him to sleep. The leader had long since recovered con

he attacking party left and these suddenly

s!" ca

ckers in drawing off. They wished to get out of revolver range of the Overlanders and then use their rifles on them, but by the time the desert ruffia

ons gathered him up, then, with the wounded man across a saddle, the two remaining ban

growled Hip

t they aren't playing possum. Keep your gun in your hand and watch them. Mrs. Gray, will you f

Mr.

icious move from a

s probably will be needed. Mr. Lang, you wer

d strode over to the water

m the leader of the ruffians, who sat scowling up at him. "Mrs. Nesbit! Watch t

o had been downed. They found that two had merely been stunned by falls, two others havi

as seriously hurt, but that the men ought to be taken w

f critter is to kill 'em. We'll fix 'em up and send 'em on. The on

tever further attention I can before you send

dded her

. It is wise to keep them well bun

p with the first ruffian, and there dressed his wounds, gave the man water and made him

reda after examining those who had been stunned by falls. "They should be able to tak

h them up and stake them down here. When you say the word, we

s, assisted to mount, and told to get out as fast as horseflesh would carry them. Not a word of informati

appearing horsemen with a deep frown on his face. "I can't remember where, but one of these days I'

ng for trouble when

pp

omebody sent them after us, too. Got

g of you at the moment

oul

ave been wasting time on those ruffians and neglecting

hing much,

She saw that it was merely a superficial flesh wound, but th

dressed it, Hi Lang observing the professional manner i

r?" he

plied Elfreda wi

runted t

hit anyw

atches, th

wer limbs were, as he had told her, scratched by bullets tha

ons, shook their heads. "Grace Harlowe, how is it that you were not shot? I am

better have supper and get set for the night," he said, turn

e men will come back

alf fea

e shook

he replied, looking thoughtfully up at the sky. His survey took in all quarters of the compa

, Mr. Lang?

he desert this t

sto

es

tioned Grace

s night comes to an end. We better have chow now, then make the camp as secure as possible. Shall you tell the others?" he asked, nodding

," replied Grace. "You see they are

r, some one discovered that the stars, before so near and brilliant, were now only faint

ercast sky for a moment, then

" she

o bed with your clothes on

rious as tha

erything here is as contrary as an outlaw bronco. Better turn in soon and

nd rest even more than we do. I hear Mrs. Gray telling our friends to prep

scouring the cooking equipment and carefully stowing it in the packs so that it might all be in one place in the event that the storm was a severe one. Ping Wi

g his revolver where it might be quickly reached in an emergency, but there was to be no use for his weapon that night. The en

sts overhead, his nerves on the alert to catch the first cooling breath, which he knew f