"Perhaps."
The desperadoes would answer no more questions, and in a few minutes the whole party was off for the cave. Both Darry and Joe wished to leave behind some sort of message which Benson might pick up, but they were watched so closely they could do nothing.
When the cave was gained the boys were told to go inside and keep quiet.
"Joe! and you too, Darry!" cried Captain Moore. "I was afraid of this."
"No wonder we couldn't find you!" said Joe, and told of the hunt he and his cousin had made.
"These rascals are up to some deep game," whispered the young captain. "I just picked up a message which Gilroy must have dropped," and he told what the sheet contained.
"If I were you I'd burn the paper," said Darry. "Then he won't know you have seen it."
"No, I would like to keep the sheet——to show to Colonel Fairfield if I can manage to get away."
"Who wrote the message?"
"I have no idea. There used to be a half-breed around here whom the soldiers called Mose, but I thought he was dead. He was thick with the Modoc Indians."