"And I pa.s.sed by that rough jagged pillar of rock which was of a great height, in the middle of that very narrow part of the gulch. I mean where the rocks close in on both sides and overhang so that it seems dangerous to walk under them for fear they should fall."

"Oh yes, I remember it well."

"So do I," said Ned, quietly now, for he was evidently greatly interested.

"I looked at it intently, so that I got to know the place thoroughly. I can recollect all the loose stones piled-up along the sides and overhanging so that very little would make them block up the rift."

"To be sure," said Griggs, going on with his cleaning again. "I know the spot. You might make a strong fort there in no time so as to defend the valley."

"Yes, yes, of course," said Ned impatiently; "but go on."

"I think I'd better leave off now," said Chris apologetically; "it seems so stupid."

"Never mind; let's have it," cried Griggs.

"Well, this is what I thought," continued Chris, "that if we could go up there some day and hide along the heights with our ponies and mules, and wait till the enemy came by to get into the valley, and then tumble all the rocks and stones down--"

"One minute," said Griggs. "You mean that very, very narrow bit where there's hardly room for two mules to pa.s.s?"

"Yes, that's it; where the rocks high up nearly meet."

"Yes, I know," cried Ned excitedly.

"Well, since I've been thinking about all this," said Chris, speaking more freely, "it seemed--"

"One moment again," cried Griggs, "it's this side of the gully down which the enemy came."

"Oh yes, some hundreds of yards."

"To be sure!"

"I say, Griggs, don't keep interrupting so," cried Ned impatiently.

"Right! Go on, lad."

"I fancied," cried Chris, "if we could hide and wait till the enemy had all ridden into the bottom of the valley, we might tumble down stones and rocks from up above till the s.p.a.ces beside that middle stone were all blocked up, and we might keep on till it was made so bad that no horse could be got over."

"To be sure, nor mule neither. That's for certain if we worked hard enough, and of course we would. Oh, yes; I could make such a bank there with a bar or a wooden lever as no pony could climb, or man either, if you come to that. Why, Chris, my lad, that'll do."

"You don't think it wild and foolish?" said the boy, flushing.

"I think it's grand."

"You do?"

"I do, really, my lad. There's only one thing that I can see against it."

"Ah, here it comes," cried Ned excitedly; "I knew he'd be sure and sit upon it."

"Of course," said Griggs, laughing, "or step upon it to see if it'll bear our weight."

"What's wrong, then?"

"Only this," said Griggs slowly. "How are you going to get your birds into the trap?"

"Ha, ha!" laughed Ned. "To be sure. There you are, Chris: how are you going to get your birds into the trap?"

Chris laughed too, but very gently.

"I've been thinking of all that," he said, "and I don't quite see yet.

I could manage it easily enough if there was a way out that we could climb. Then we could retreat before them some time, and they'd follow us in; and as soon as they had all ridden in the door of the trap could be closed."

"Who's going to shut the trap?" said Ned, laughing. "Why, Chris, you're making a bull."

"Oh no, I'm not. One or two would be enough to lead the Indians in; the others could shut the trap."

"And what about the live bait that led the Indians in?" said Ned.

"They'd make for the way to get out, and climb up here."

"Well, you are a Paddy," cried Ned, laughing heartily. "You're going to lead the enemy in, and show them the way out again. Can't you see that if they followed the two who acted as bait they'd come out too?"

"Yes," said Chris coolly, "but that wouldn't matter."

"What! Why, you're all in a fog, and can't see your way," cried Ned.

"We're not afraid of the Indians, and we could keep them off easily enough if we wanted to before we got back to our horses and rode away."

"But the enemy would follow," cried Ned, grinning.

"Well, suppose they did?" cried Chris; "they'd be on foot. They could climb out of the trap, but their ponies couldn't."

Griggs laughed now, and Ned looked uncomfortable.

"Oh! I see," he drawled, very slowly. "I didn't think of that."

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Griggs, who looked very thoughtful. "Yes, that might be done. I don't know of any such place, Chris, unless we could find one somewhere up above the terraces."

"I've looked," said Chris, shaking his head. "If there was a way up there it would be splendid, because we could put big stones ready, or loosen some of the steps so that we could break them away after we'd climbed up; but I can't find anything. The cliff hangs over so."

"Was that why you were poking about so up there this morning?" said Ned.

"Yes."

"Well, you might have told me."

"Yes, I might," said Chris, smiling, "but it would have been a pity."