Thus questioned, Fred scanned his surroundings as best he could, but there was nothing that he could identify, and he so said, adding:
“I’m sure I’ve never been here before.”
“And I’m sure ye have. This is the path that Lone Wolf come along, and that ye was hunting for when ye got lost, and fell into the basement story of the mountain.”
“Oh, this is the pass, is it?” exclaimed the delighted lad; “then we have a clear road before us straight to New Boston.”
“Clear of all but one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“The red spalpeens; they’re always turning up when you don’t expect ’em, and don’t want ’em.”
“How far are we away from the cave, where we left the half dozen Apaches?”
“I don’t think it’s much more than a mile, though it may be a mile and a half.”
“Well, that’s very good; we’ve got that much start, and it’s worth having.”