"If Pawnee was down here you can bet he spotted that Injun if he came within a hundred yards of him," said Gilbert. "He can smell a red like a cat can smell a rat."
The tree reached, the frontiersman threw back the flat rock and brought forth the message left by the great scout. He read it aloud.
"Following Yellow Elk!" cried Jack Rasco. "I know the rascal! And it was he as stole my gal! Jess wait till I git my hand on his windpipe, thet's all! Whar's thet cave, Gilbert?"
"I don't know, but it must be somewhere up the ravine. Come on."
And away went the trio, on the hunt for Yellow Elk, Pawnee Brown and poor Nellie Winthrop.
CHAPTER XVI.
ATTACKED BY A WILDCAT.
"You fiend!"
This was all Pawnee Brown could say, as with a face full of bitter hatred Yellow Elk advanced and applied the torch to the dry brush which encircled his feet.