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of frying…pan against coffee…pot at every leap he took； swerved sharply； shook
his head as though a bee had stung him； and came on with a few stiff…legged
〃crow hops〃 to register his violent objection to being shot through the ear。
Pink； with an increased respect for the shooting skill of Lite Avery； glanced
guiltily at the others to see if they bad observed where his second bullet
hit。 But the others were eyeing Applehead uneasily and paid no attention to
Pink or his attempts to hit an Indian on the run。 And presently Pink forgot it
also while he watched Applehead； who was apparently determined to commit
suicide in a violently original form。
〃You fellers keep behind； now…and hold the Injuns back fer a minute er two；〃
Applehead yelled while he set himself squarely in the saddle； gathered up his
reins as though be were about to 〃top a bronk〃 and jabbed the spurs with a
sudden savageness into Johnny's flanks。
〃GIT outa here！〃 he yelled； and Johnny with an astonished lunge； 〃got。〃
Straight toward the fence they raced； Johnny with his ears laid back tight
against his skull and his nose pointed straight out before him； with old
Applehead leaning forward and yelling to Johnny with a cracked hoarseness that
alone betrayed how far youth was behind him。
They thought at first that he meant to jump the fence； and they knew he could
not make it。 When they saw that he meant to ride through it； Weary and Pink
groaned involuntarily at the certainty of a fall and sickening entanglement in
the wires。 Only Lite； cool as though he were rounding up milch cows； rode
half…turned in the saddle and sent shot after shot back at the line of
Navajos； with such swift precision that the Indians swerved and fell back a
little； leaving another pony wallowing in the sand and taking with them one
fellow who limped until he had climbed up behind one who waited for him。
〃Go it； Johnnydang yore measly hide； go to it！ We'll show 'm we ain't so old
'n' tender we cain't turn a trick t'bug their dang eyes out？ Bust into it！
WE'LL show 'em！〃 And Applehead shrilled a raucous range 〃HOO…EEE…EE！〃 as
Johnny lunged against the taut wires。
It was a long chance he tooka 〃dang long chance〃 as Applehead admitted
afterward。 But； as he had hoped； it happened that Johnny's stride brought him
with a forward leap against the wires； so that the full impact of his
eleven…hundred pounds plus the momentum of his speed； plus the weight of
Applehead and the saddle； hit the wires fair and full。 They popped like cut
wires on a bale of hayand it was lucky that they were tight strung so that
there was no slack to take some of the force away。 It was not luck； but plain
shrewdness on Applehead's part； that Johnny came straight on； so that there
was no tearing see…saw of the strands as they broke。 Two inch…long cuts on his
chest and a deeper； longer one on his foreleg was the price Johnny paid； and
that was all。 The lower wire he never touched； since it was a leap that landed
him against the fence。 He lurched and recovered himself； and went on at a
slower gallop while Applehead beckoned the three to come on。
〃I kain't say I'd want to git in the habit uh bustin' fences that way；〃 he
grinned over his shoulder as the three jumped through the gap he had made and
forged up to him。 〃But I calc'late if they's another one Johnny n' me kin make
it； mebby。〃
〃Well； I was brought up in a barbed wire country；〃 Pink exploded； 〃but I'll be
darned if I ever saw a stunt like that pulled off before！〃
〃We…ell； I hed a bronk go hog…wild 'n' pop three wires on a fence one time；〃
Applehead explained modestly； 〃'n' he didn't cut hisself a…tall； skurcely。
It's all accordin' t' how yuh hit it； I reckon。 Anyway； I calc'lated it was
wuth tryin'； 'cause we shore woulda had our hands full if we'd a stopped at
that fence； now I'm tellin' yuh！ 'N' another thing；〃 he added bodefully； 〃I
figgured we'd better be gittin' to Luck In' his bunch。 I calc'late they need
us； mebby。〃
No one made any reply to that statement； but even Lite； who never had been
inclined to laugh at him； looked at Applehead with a new respect。 The Indians；
having scurried back out of range of Lite's uncomfortably close shooting；
yelled a bedlam of yips and howls and came on again in a closer group than
before； shooting as they rodeat the four men first； and then at the hindmost
pack…horse that gave a hop over the wire left across the gap； and came
galloping heavily after the others。 They succeeded in burying a bullet in the
packed bedding； but that was all。
Three hundred yards or so in the lead； the four raced down the long； gentle
slope。 A mile or two； perhaps three； they could run before their horses gave
out。 But then； when they could run no longer； they would have to stop and
fight； and the question that harped continually through their minds was： Could
they run until they reached Luck and the boys with him？ Could they？ They did
not even know where Luck was； or what particular angle of direction would
carry them to him quickest。 Applehead and Johnny were pointing the way；
keeping a length ahead of the others。 But even old Applehead was riding； as he
would have put it； 〃by…guess and by…gosh〃 until they crossed a shallow draw；
labored up the hill beyond； and heard； straight away before them； the faint
pop…pop of rifle shots。 Old Applehead turned and sent them a blazing blue
glance over his shoulders。
〃RIDE； dang ye！〃 he barked。 〃They've got Luck cornered in the Devil's
Fryin'…pan！〃
CHAPTER XVIII。 IN THE DEVIL'S FRYING…PAN
Luck； riding confidently on the trail of the three horsemen who had taken to
the south along the front of the square butte； believed that the turn of the
trail around the southern end meant simply that the three who came this way
would meet their companions on the other side； and that he； following after；
would be certain to meet Applehead。 He had hopes of the speedy capture of
Ramon Chavez and his men； and the hope spread to the four who went with him；
so that their spirits rose considerably。 Big Medicine and Happy Jack even
found a good deal of amusement in their exchange of opinions regarding old
granny Applehead and his constant fear of the Navvies。 Now and then the Native
Son joined in the laugh； though his attention was chiefly given to the
discussion Andy and Luck were having about Ramon and his manner of using
Luck's work as an opportunity to rob the bank； and the probable effect it
would have on the general standing of Luck and his company unless they managed
to land the thieves in jail。 Being half Mexican himself； the Native Son was
sensitive upon the subject of Ramon； and almost as anxious to see Ramon in
jail as was Luck himself。
So while Applehead and his boys were scenting danger and then finding
themselves in the middle of it； Luck and his party rode along absorbed in
themselves and in the ultimate goal； which was Ramon。 They saw nothing queer
about the trail they