The wounded man was eager to leave the cave and start upon a campaign of vengeance in behalf of his fallen comrades, but when he tried to rise, Tonto pressed him back to his seat.
"You wait," he said. "You not ready yet."
The effort made the Ranger quite aware that he was still weaker than he had supposed.
While Tonto rebuilt a tiny smokeless fire of very dry bits of wood and prepared a new supply of hot food, he told how, the day before, he had ridden down the Gap to the spot where the massacre had taken place, and then heard shooting far beyond. He had risked discovery by going as far as the entrance of the Basin. From there he could see the activity around the house. He saw Mort's body carried to the big ranch house and a little later saw the girl, Penelope, take the children to the same rambling structure. Then the body of Rebecca had been taken there. He told all this in his jerky, stilted manner while he put things on the fire to cook and then redressed the Ranger's wounds.
"You need plenty more rest," Tonto told the convalescent man. "We talk more bimeby."
"But, Tonto, tell me more about what you've seen. Did you find or see anything of my guns and cartridge belt?"
"Talk more after you strong."
"Have you any idea who ambushed us?"
"Me got plenty scheme," the Indian said. "Talk bimeby."
"It was you who called Silver away from me—I remember your night-bird's call. Why did you do that?"