Captured by the Navajos

which it continued to follow for several miles, and then rose gradually to the side of a range of hills. We were walking our animals along the side of this acclivity, at a c

ddles and held the horses by the bits to prevent them from responding to the

rections. Looking across the ravine, I caught a glimpse of a party of Indians a little beyond the brook. Throug

ay Cordova joined me in the valleys, I had no difficulty in recognizing the last two animals to be his prop

ght of her in season, it would have been easy to have kept her close at my hee

ction I saw Vic stand for an instant with her forefeet on a prostrate log, look

produced an electrical effect. Instantly the redmen sprang to their f

," I said. "We must get out of

rs to keep close at our heels. We rode as fast as it was possible to do without making a noise, hoping that we might get a con

of the stream grew more precipitous. The Indians were pursuing a path parallel to ours and about half a mile in our rear. What was the nature of the count

through the trees and clumps of underbrush, with occasional openings through which w

hundred feet skyward, and which presented on the side towards us an almost perpendicular wall. When we approached it we saw a neat log-cabin nestling under

rpendicular wall of the butte, with an overhanging cliff a hundred feet above it. If a stone had been d

wing since we left Jemez. The only way to cross from one trail to the other, except by going several miles down the brook or to the north end of the butte, was, therefore, through

eplace had been built. Three men with plenty of rations and ammunition could make a good defence. Water could

o the east, had joined the main party to the west of us. They showed great respect for our place of refuge and rifles, and kept well out of range. The sergeant's and my Springfi

s, and, hitching them in the corners each side of

before the doors during the night, sir," s

," I replied; "we should have to expose ourselves every time we repl

to ascend the wide-mouthed chimney by stepping on projecting stones of which it was built

have one. A fire on the roof will illuminate everything about us and leave our

en Sergeant Cunningham ascended the chimney and tore away one side of the part which projected above the roof-the side looking in the direction opposite the precipice. This would enable on

cient to last us, including Vic, for three days, and water could be

"Of course we can eat horse-meat for a while after our victuals are gone, bu

n our favor. The Jemez party will reach camp day after to-morr

of Navajos don't

t us, sergeant, but let us keep up

ways have done, but this is a

nd Vic for help, Mr.

k you for the suggestion. We'll put the li

to Jemez for the men?"

wishes in that direction, but there is no doubt sh

know I sent her with a message to you from San Antonio

the sergeant; "but she'll

g intelligently from one to the othe

moothing her silky coat, "you shall have a chan

ng our desperate situation and requesting him to send a detachment to our rescue. I also prepared a flat, pine stick, and wrote upon it, in plain letters, "Examine her collar." I intended she should

. We once heard the rapid strokes of an axe, as of chopping, and wondered what it could mean. Nothing further h

our message before it gets darker and the Navajos

to be pokerish work for us before morning, and I shall be mig

aced the stick in her mouth and, opening the eastern door,

ant stooped, and placing his hand under her chin raised her head upward and laid his bronze cheek affectionat

, addressing me. "We never sent her to any

the dispenser of fine bones and dainties, and she has had nothing to eat since morning, perhaps it is as well he

e sergeant and corporal, walked to the door, l

le one; th

e corner of the butte at a run, bearing our s

s also silent. I was disposed to put off the lighting of our fire upon the roof as long as it appeared safe to do so, in order to husband our fuel. The animals, disappointed of the forage us

hat I heard a crushing sound as of a heavy wheel rolling

itch-pine and placed them upon the roof, and as soon as they were well lighted added to them half a dozen billets of wood which Sergeant Cunningham passed up to him

long while we saw nothing in that direction to suggest a lurking foe. To the west we could see no enemy, but the same mysterious sound of crushing and grinding came to our ears. What could it be, and what did it threaten? Adjusting my field-glass I

: "The Indians seem to be rolling a log i

he sergeant, after a long look. "That log is a mo

s are lying behind it and rolling it forward. Rat

ndow, and for some moments watched the