The pebble landed true and rattled off, hitting the ground with a bounce and rolling away in the grass.

The children, playing in the open as they always did, stopped and looked up inquiringly, then went on with their play.

Mateo came cautiously from the back door and to him Johnny called, thankful that the observer on the hillside could not see through the cabin to where Mateo stood.
"Stay where you are," he called.

"Can you hear me ?" Mateo nodded emphatically.
"All right.

Take your gun and start off across the flat, down the way Cliff will come.