Bar-20 Days

und. Undoubtedly there were shacks in the United States in worse condition, but he hoped their number was small. Of course he knew that the building was small. Of course he knew that the buil

his friend's place of eternal abode. The remarks were fast getting to be somewhat personal in tenor when a whine in the air swept up the scale to a vicious shriek as it passed between them, dropped rapidly to a whine again and quickly died out in the distance, a flat report coming to their ears a few seconds later. Invisible bees seemed to be winging through the air,

inal struggle. Red grunted his cheerful approval, for now he was out of the blazing sun and where he could better appreciate the musical tones of the flying bull

in't in no way objecting to the suicide part of it, but I can't see that it's at all fair to drag me onto the edge of everlasting eternity with you. If you ain't got no regard for yore o

er on yore own side an' use yore Colt; I've wondered a whole lot where you ever got the sense to use a Colt-I wouldn't be a heap surpris

ight here or you won't get no 'Paches," snorted Hopalong, peering intently through a hole in the shack. The more they squabbled the better the

anybody that was anything," he jeered as he fired from his window. "Why, you

-breed," snapped Hopalong. "But how about the Joneses, Tarantula

kin and cheerfully derided the marksman. "That 'Pache shore reckons it was you shooting at him, I missed him so far. Now, you shut up-I want to get some so we

not be discerned, but he was not content with assured safety and took a chance. Hopalong raised his rifle to his shoulder as the Indian fired and the latter's bu

blindly around the room in rage and pain, and dro

tumbled past. "Are you plugged bad, Hoppy? Where did they

g enthusiastically at his solicitous friend. "Get me some water, you jackass! Don't stand

dy to wash out the dirt while he returned to his post by the window. "Anybo

ut. "Hey, Red! Come over here an' spill that brave's conceit. I can't keep my eyes ope

peered out cautiously. "I can't s

rral; see him now? There! See hi

nine hundred-where's yore Sharps?" He took the weapon, glanced at the

ired and saw the Indian flop down and crawl aimlessly

ad quitted for the moment, and thudded into the wall, making the dry adobe fly. It had missed him by only a few inches and he now crept along the floor to the rear of the room and

ile a fly buzzed loudly and hovered persistently around Red's head, to the rage of that individual. "Ah, ha!" he grunted, lower

n jumped to "Yankee Doodle," mixing the two airs with careless impartiality, which was a sign

on, if drink has

d his medley, which prompted his friend quic

heard murder 'em! Shut up!"-and the concert stopped, the vocalist

et him?" q

, greasy breech of the Sharps. "An' here's where I get him-got to square up for my eyes

Red, in a matter-of-fact way, but he ch

apped Mr. Cassidy, firing aga

s companion, with

yore bu

water?" yelled Red, staring bl

pologized his friend ruefully

wash out yore eyes. Lucky we each had one-Hol

osts. It was a calamity of no small magnitude, for, while food could be dispensed with for a lon

ed him to his friends. No matter how desperate a situation might be, he could always find in it something at which to laug

make much difference, nohow. We'll get out of this little scrape just as we've allus got out of trouble. There's some mad wa

py idiot," grinned

sudden firing broke out around the rear of the shack, and fell to pulling away the

this way! I'm with you!" rep

fast as he could urge his horse, rode a cowboy, and not fa

d ran back to watch the rear of the house, and it was well that he did so, for an Apache in that direction, believing that the trapped punchers were so busily engaged with the new developments as to forget for the moment, sprinted towards the back window; and he had gotten within twenty paces of the goal when Hopalong's Colt cracked a protest. Seeing that the warrior

turned to watch the two men moving from place to place, firing coolly and methodically. He

drowned his voice. During a lull he tried again. "My name's Holden," he re

's Connors, of the Bar-20

e exclaimed. He was but little more than a boy, and to him Hopalong Cassidy and Red Connors were names

t, Holden; besides, I reckon you couldn't help it," Hopalong grinned facet

indow, their rifles cracking at intervals. They appeared to him to act as if they had done nothing else a

t for it at top speed. It seemed like a dream, 'cause I thought Apaches never got so far east. They don't, do they? I thought not-these must 'a' got turned out of their way an' had to hustle for safety. Well, it was all over purty quick. I saw 'em drag out two women an'-an'-purty soon a man. He was fighting like fury, but he didn't last long. Then they set fire to the house an' threw the man's body up on the roof. I co

y. They knew what he had looked upon, for they themselves had become familiar with the work of Apaches in Arizona. They could picture it vividly in all its devilish horror. Nei

rs. Then Mr. Connors saw his boon companion suddenly lean out of a window and immediately become the target for the hard-working enemy. He swore angrily at

and looking sheepish. "But you know there's two thundering big tarantulas out there f

had 'a' got you! Yo're the damnedest fool that ever walked on two laigs, you blast

What you yelling about, anyhow?" grow

e!" snapped Mr. Connors, determined

Evidently the stories had not been exaggerated. What must they think of him for giving way as he had? He rose to his feet in time to see a horse blunder into the open on Red's side of the house, and after it blundered its owner, who immediately lost all need of earthly conv

cartridge into the barrel, was, "He mus

d Hopalong. "The

big

was watching. One was bigger than the other,

uted Red, who had to g

ntly," replied Ho

came upon them all of the defenders

ced, and his friend knew he was right. Since Holden had appeared upon the s

eads, I go," Red sugg

there'll be enough in case any of our boys are out on the range in some line house. We can pick 'em up on the way back, so there won't be no time lost. If I get through you can expect excitement on the ou

and that the house was safe when compared to running such a gantlet, offered to go through the danger line with him. For

n't no use of anybody staying here with me, to die with me. Put a bullet through me so them devils can't play with me like they do wi

a coyote to sneak off an' leave you for them fiends. An', besides, I can't get away; my cayuse is hit too hard an' yourn is

grit all the way through, an' I like to tie to that kind of a man. Don't you worry about nothing; Red can handle t

e out of the building and mounted, glad that the moon h

ried Red, running to

n Red wheeled. "Holden, keep yore eyes an' ears open. I'm going out

and ten minutes later he heard a shot and then several more in quick succession. Shortly aft

ed the man on the flo

hat was going on he was through an' riding like blazes. I heard him call 'em half-breeds a moment later an' it sounded

wonder-he's all right, an' so are you. I'll never

en-I picked it up outside by yore cayuse. Then go to sleep,

ll call me when

," Red remarked as his companion pushed the canteen against him in the dark. He was choking with thirst. "Well, then; all right