They had moved but a little way when a shout came from the cliff, and they saw three men looking down at them. These men were armed, and Frank saw them taking aim with rifles. "Look out!" he shouted. "They're going to send bullets after us!" A second later the men on the cliff began shooting, the white smoke puffing from their rifles, the reports of which awoke the echoes. The bullets whistled about the trio in the ravine. "Run!" shouted Frank, wheeling and flinging his rifle to his shoulder. He sent several bullets up at the cliff and then turned and dashed after Bart, who had lifted the girl in his arms, and made a rush for a place of safety. The bullets spat spitefully against the rocks as he ran, whistled about him, dislodged pebbles and tore up little sprays of earth, but not one of them touched him. The trio reached a turn in the ravine and passed beyond view of the cliff, so they were safe from the bullets of the men above. For some moments they paused, panting from their exertions. The girl looked at her companions in admiration. "You are strong and brave," she said. "I feel that you will save me." "But we are not out of the woods yet," said Frank. "Those fellows will be sure to give us a chase." "How can they get down from the cliff?" asked Bart. "There is a way to do that, you may be sure. As soon as we get our breath we must hasten on. We will be fortunate if we strike Blake, Long, and Jones without delay." They did not wait long before hastening forward. The boys took the girl between them, both assisting her, sometimes carrying her over the worst places. Her strength came back to her, after a time, and they were surprised by her skill and fleetness of foot. Out of the ravine they made their way, and dropped over into the other, beginning to feel relieved by the non-appearance of their enemies. But they were not to escape without a further encounter. Five minutes after entering the second ravine they heard a clatter of hoofs behind them. There was no time to get out of the ravine, and it happened that they were unable to find a place of concealment in time to escape observation. Six men came riding madly toward them, sending up a wild shout when they were observed. "Behind these rocks here!" cried Frank. "We must stand them off. It's our only show. Put the girl behind that large one, so that she will be safe from bullets." Bart was desperate. His teeth showed, his face was very pale, and he grated: "They shall not touch her again--I vow they shall not touch her!" Behind the bowlders plunged the trio, just as a bullet whistled over Frank's head. Dropping on one knee behind a stone on which he could rest his elbow, our hero brought the butt of his Winchester to his shoulder, and began to work the weapon. Even then Frank was not quite ready to shoot straight at the breasts of human beings, and so his first five shots brought down three of the horses, throwing the band into confusion.