"Thot's roight, begorra!" cried Barney, fingering his Winchester. "It's stoofed to th' muzzle, this ould shootin' iron is, wid grapeshot an' canister, an' av Oi leggo wid it, there won't be a red nagur av yez left on his pins." "Injuns want to talk with white boys," said the half-blood, edging nearer, inch by inch. "Injuns want to hold powwow." "We are not at all anxious to hold a powwow with you. Stand where you are!" Up came Frank's rifle a bit. It was plain that the red ruffians meant to make an assault, and the moment was at hand. They were handling their weapons in a way that told how eager some of them were to shed the blood of the boys. Barney, in his characteristic, devil-may-care manner, began to hum, "My Funeral's To-morrow." He seemed utterly unable to take matters seriously, however great the danger. A moment before the rush and encounter must have taken place, all were startled to hear a merry, childish laugh, and a voice saying: "I knowed I'd find tomebody tomewhere. I wants to tome down. Tate me down, please." On the top of the bluff, forty feet above the heads of the Indians, stood a little girl, dressed in white. She had golden hair and blue eyes, and, on her lofty perch, she looked like a laughing fairy. "Mother av Mowses!" gurgled Barney. "A child!" exclaimed Frank, astonished. "Here!" The Indians muttered and hesitated. Half Hand still urged them on, but it was plain that they believed there was a party of white persons near at hand, and they feared to attack the boys. The urging of the half-blood was in vain, and he was forced to give it up. Then he turned fiercely on the boys, snarling: "Good thing for you your friends come! They no come, we kill you and take your guns! Mebbe we see you 'gain some time bimeby." Then the Indians turned and quickly scudded away, soon disappearing from view amid some pines. Frank drew a breath of relief. "That was a close shave," he muttered. "Begorra! It was thot," nodded Barney. "Av it hadn't been fer th' litthle girrul, we'd lost our scoolps Oi belave." "The little girl!" exclaimed Frank. "She appeared like a good fairy, and----" "Dat's my name. Mamma talls me Fairy Fay." She was still standing on the bluff, and she had heard Frank's words. Now she held out her arms to him, crying: "Tome tate me down. I wants to tome down." "Get back from the edge, dear," Frank quickly called. "You may fall. We will come up to you as soon as possible." "Tome wight away." "Yes, we will come right away." "I's tired playing all alone--an' I's hundry," said the sweet little voice. "I's awsul hundry. You dot somet'ing dood to eat?" "You shall have something to eat very soon, if you will keep back from the edge, so you'll not fall down," assured Frank. He then directed Barney to remain there and watch her, cautioning her to keep back, while he found a way to reach the top of the bluff.