“Now, Black Feather, old chappie,” said Frank, “I am going to do the greatest trick of all. I’ll have to get a big start and have lots of room. Watch me close.”
Away he went, bending over the handlebars and sending the bicycle flying over the ground. He acted as if he intended to make a big circle, but suddenly turned and rode straight toward the pass by which they had entered the basin. Before the Indians could realize his intention, he was almost out of sight in the darkness of the young night.
Howls of rage and dismay broke from the redmen. They shouted after the boy, but he kept right on, quickly disappearing from view.
“There,” sighed Browning, with satisfaction, “I told you he was not doing all that work for nothing, fellows.”
“He’s done gone an’ lef us!” wailed Toots.
“That’s what he has!” grated Diamond—“left us to the mercy of these miserable redskins! That’s a fine trick!”
“Oh, will you ever get over it?” rasped Rattleton. “Why shouldn’t he? He had his chance, and he’d been a fool not to skin out!”
“I thought he would stand by us in such a scrape as this.”
“What you thought doesn’t cut any ice. He’ll come back.”
“After we are murdered.”