"The fire has reached inside!" groaned Joe. "The place is doomed!"
"Come on! There is no use of our staying here longer!" cried Benson, and led the way across the plain, now lit up by the conflagration beyond. He forced Potts with him.
Suddenly several shots rang out, and Joe felt a bullet graze his hand. Then he saw Cass pitch forward on his face, and heard Potts give a yell of mortal agony.
"Poor Cass, he's a goner!" muttered Bernstein. "And the desperado is dead, too."
No more was said, for all felt they must run as never before, if they would save themselves. Soon the gully was reached, and they dropped to shelter. But no more shots followed, and in a few minutes more they were close to the burning stockade.
"Friends!" shouted Benson, to a guard. "Don't shoot! Come out here and put out the fire!"
"Is that you?" came from Captain Moore, in the semi-darkness. "Are Joe and Darry safe?"
"Yes," came from the boys.
There was no time to say more, for already the soldiers were forming a bucket brigade, carrying water with which to put out the flames. Some had long poles with hooks, and with these they
