The Apache I'd seen was gone。 The one I had killed was still lying back there on the gravel。
My breath was tearing at my lungs but I scrambled on up； crawling over boulders； pulling myself from rock to rock。 From time to time I was out of their sight。
Suddenly Rocca was right ahead of me。 He turned to speak and I saw the bullet catch him。 It dusted him on both sides； and he squatted suddenly on his haunches with blood ing from his side； staining his shirt。
He let go of his rifle and started to fall forward； but I caught him。
Ahead of us was about sixty yards of talus slope； and then the hollow toward which we'd headed。
When I caught Rocca I just naturally let him fall across my shoulders； catching hold of his collar with my right hand。 My Winchester was in my left； and I reached down and got a finger through the lever on his rifle and lunged up straight。 Then I started up the slope。
That struggle up； with Rocca across my shoulders； my breath most gone； and those bullets ing toward us from behind 。。。 I never want to do that again。
Somehow I made it； and then stumbled and sort of fell into the hollow。 Somebody lifted Rocca off my back； and I saw he'd been hit at least one more time。
Gasping for breath； I stared around me。 They were all there； Dorset； the children； Murphy； and Battles； and the horses。 And now there was us two。
〃The trouble is；〃 John J。 Battles said； 〃we're trapped。 There's no way out。〃
Chapter 13
The hollow was nowhere more than seventy or eighty feet across； and the side up which we had e spilled over in a slope of broken rock and gravel。 Elsewhere the sides sloped up steeply in banks of blown sand and gravel； littered with broken rock from the escarpment above； and dotted with sparse brush。 The sheer wall above varied from eight feet in height to twice that。
Our rifles could mand the slope down to the canyon where the Apaches now were。 With no trouble； one or two men could prevent them from reaching us。 On the other hand； if they reached the top of the mesa above us； we could be picked off at their leisure。
My eyes searched the rim。 It was cracked and broken； and there were places where a man might be able to reach the top； but no place where a horse could go up。
Dorset was working over Rocca； she had him resting as easy as he could； and she was stopping the blood。 Harry Brook； needing nobody to tell him； had bunched our horses at the back of the hollow； out of rifle shot from below。 The children were huddled together； watching with wide eyes。 Nobody was saying anything； but our situation looked bad。 We had water enough for a day； perhaps two。
Slowly； I got to my feet。 I said； pointing to the rim； 〃I'm going to find a way out of this hole。〃
〃Wings。〃 Rocca spoke around the cigarette Dorset had lighted for him。 〃You would need wings。〃
〃Spanish；〃 I said； 〃you an' Battles stand 'em off。 I'm going up yonder。〃
They studied the wall。 〃That's more of a climb than it looks；〃 Spanish said。 〃But we'd better have somebody up there to hold them back。〃
I started up the slope； angling across it for easier going。 It took all of ten minutes to get to the foot of the escarpment。
On the rock wall I came to one of the cracks I'd seen from below。 It was a foot wide at the bottom； widening above to maybe three feet。 Here and there a few broken slabs of rock had fallen into it and bee wedged。 A man could climb out of it all right； but he surely couldn't take a wounded man up that way； so I worked my way along the face。
First thing I saw was a lion track； or maybe it was a jaguar's。 There were a lot of those big spotted cats in Sonora； you even saw one in Arizona or California time to time。
The tracks； which were several days old； led right along the face and I followed them； studying every break in the rock that I came to。 When I'd gone almost around the basin； the tracks suddenly disappeared。
Now； even a cat； tricky as they may be； can not vanish into thin air； so I contemplated the problem。
That cat had e up from the canyon below； and he surely wasn't going back down。 The last set of tracks showed the hind feet dug in a mite； and it looked as if the cat had taken a jump。 Then I saw a rock where he might have landed。 From where I stood the rock's face was sheer； but the edge； about six feet above my head； was broken； and the cracks were filled with talus。
I realized I couldn't； even by jumping； reach the edge； but when I climbed up on a small rock I could see scratches on the big one I wanted to reach； and there were so many scratches that it looked as if that cat had used this trail a good many times。
Hunting for foot…holds； I found a couple and managed to scramble onto the big rock。 There was a crack in the rock that led to the rim in a steep slide； filled with broken rock。 In a few minutes I was up on top of the mesa； which stretched away for miles。 Here there was thin grass； a few clumps of prickly pear； and the cat tracks； fading away to the northwest。
From where I now stood I could not see the hollow； but only the further rim of the canyon and some of the bottom。 There were no Apaches in view； and it was likely none of them could see me。
I went back down into the crack and studied it。 It would be a steep scramble； but I'd taken horses up worse places。 If I could just get them over that first rock 。。。
As I was easing down bit by bit so as to keep out of sight of the Apaches； I heard a rifle shot from below。 That worried me none at all。 No Apache was going to climb up that slope with a rifle up there； no Apache was fool enough to try。 Chances were some Indian showed himself to test us out and Spanish or Battles let him have one to know we weren't asleep。
What I needed now was to be able to figure out a way to get the folks out of that hole。 And it was surely up to me。 Dorset and the children aside； the boys with me had e just because they were my friends and knew I needed some help。
That big rock was the thing。 There were cracks in it； but none very deep that I'd noticed； so I worked my way back for a closer look。 On one side it was cracked and broken； and I began digging at it； hoping to dig out enough so that a couple of horses might scramble up or be hauled up。
First； I pulled out several chunks of rock that were in the crack； big pieces of fifty or sixty pounds。 With a call to look out below； I tumbled them over。 For almost an hour I worked at it。
The Apaches had taken no action against us； and that gave me hope。 None of them had taken off to ride around and get up above us； and as they knew the country； maybe they knew it was miles before there was a way out of that barranca。
Down below me occasional shots sounded； and the Apaches fired a time or two。 The way I was fixed they couldn't see me； nor what I was doing。 They knew better than anybody that there was no help I could can on； and no matter what I did they'd have my scalp sooner or later。 But I planned to make them work for it。 If they wanted my hair they'd have to get it the hard way。
So I kept on at the rock； and unloaded a good many chunks of it。
A long； thin slab formed one side of the crack I was digging into。 It was all of six or eight feet long； and must have weighed a ton or more； but as I dug down around it I could see it was a free slab； broken clean off the main rock。
There were a few loose rocks at the base； and I climbed down and pulled them free。 I had me an idea now； and I didn't figure to give up on it。 In a time and place like that； you gamble on any wild…haired chance。 We were boxed in； the Apaches were down below； and they were willing to wait。 We had water enough for a while； and ammunition enough for quite a fight； but that wasn't going to get us out of here。
The sun beat down on my back and my shirt was wet with sweat； but I'd never done anything much in my life but work hard； and didn't know any different。 Besides； we Sacketts were a right stubborn folk。 We just didn't have much give…up in us。 We always kept plugging away； and that's what I was doing this time。
Finally； when I'd done what I could in the hole； I climbed up and did what I'd been figuring on。 I got into the top of that crack； put my back against one side； and my feet against the other； which bowed up my knees。 Then with my hands braced against the rock behind me； I began to push。
The sweat broke out on my face and rolled down me in streams。 Nothing happened … nothing at all。 I rested a mite and then I tried again。 It was on the third try that I felt her give a mite。 So I buckled down and tried still another time； and she gave a bit more。
Rocks and gravel trickled down into the hollow below； and then Battles climbed up there to help。
He studied the layout and shook his head。 〃I don't believe it。 Even if you can do it； what then？〃
〃I figure our number's up；〃 I said。 〃Not that I don't figure to make them earn it with blood； but that girl now … she's got to have a running chance。 She's got to get out； and those children。〃
He squatted on his heels and looked at me。 〃So？〃
〃That little buckskin； now。 That's a mountain horse； a mountain mustang； and I figure she could climb a tree if need be。 The girl's horse is another。 Both of them are small； both are quick