"Well, it's more 'n I do. I'd like to know what ye want to git wet for. Do ye wish to put your old carcass into an agey?" "If it rains two hours, do 'ee see," continued Rube, without paying attention to the last interrogatory, "we needn't stay hyur, do 'ee see?" "Why not, Rube?" inquired Seguin, with interest. "Why, cap," replied the guide, "I've seed a skift o' a shower make this hyur crick that 'ee wudn't care to wade it. Hooray! it ur a-comin', sure enuf! Hooray!" As the trapper uttered these exclamations, a vast black cloud came rolling down from the east, until its giant winds canopied the defile. It was filled with rumbling thunder, breaking at intervals into louder percussions, as the red bolts passed hissing through it. From this cloud the rain fell, not in drops, but, as the hunter had predicted, in "spouts." The men, hastily throwing the skirts of their hunting shirts over their gun-locks, remained silent under the pelting of the storm. Another sound, heard between the peals, now called our attention. It resembled the continuous noise of a train of waggons passing along a gravelly road. It was the sound of hoof-strokes on the shingly bed of the canon. It was the horse-tread of the approaching Navajoes! Suddenly it ceased. They had halted. For what purpose? Perhaps to reconnoitre. This conjecture proved to be correct; for in a few moments a small red object appeared over a distant rock. It was the forehead of an Indian with its vermilion paint. It was too distant for the range of a rifle, and the hunters watched it without moving. Soon another appeared, and another, and then a number of dark forms were seen lurking from rock to rock, as they advanced up the canon. Our pursuers had dismounted, and were approaching us on foot. Our faces were concealed by the "wrack" that covered the stones; and the Indians had not yet discovered us. They were evidently in doubt as to whether we had gone on, and this was their vanguard making the necessary reconnaissance. In a short time the foremost, by starts and runs, had got close up to the narrow part of the canon. There was a boulder below this point, and the upper part of the Indian's head showed itself for an instant over the rock. At the same instant half a dozen rifles cracked; the head disappeared; and, the moment after, an object was seen down upon the pebbles, at the base of the boulder. It was the brown arm of the savage, lying palm upward. We knew that the leaden messengers had done their work. The pursuers, though at the expense of one of their number, had now ascertained the fact of our presence, as well as our position; and the advanced party were seen retreating as they had approached. The men who had fired reloaded their pieces, and, kneeling down as before, watched with sharp eyes and cocked rifles. It was a long time before we heard anything more of the enemy; but we knew that they were deliberating on some plan of attack.