If they attempted it, Jack and Fred felt they had the advantage of position, sheltered behind the rocks, far above their enemies, down upon whom they could fire with their Winchesters, should the necessity arise.
It was quite certain that the three belonged to one of the hunting parties whose signal-smoke the boys had seen earlier in the day.

Their action was curious.

They did not look up the bank, so that the boys might have been more careless without being discovered; but it was apparent that two of them were arguing with the third, who was more excited than either of his companions.

Finally he turned away and made as if to pass up the canyon, after the manner of Hank Hazletine.

He leaped out upon one of the rocks, then bounded as lightly to another, and then to a third, which took him within the canyon.