"Come, we must find him," cried Frank, his face narrowing down until the lines of it laid up in projecting, stern wrinkles.
"Mebbe Big Bear git um Jess Jame," vouchsafed the girl stoically.
"What's that?" demanded Frank suddenly turning on her.
"Mebbe sojers git um Jess Jame."
"Soldiers. No, they're miles away to the north of us by now. We headed them toward the fort hours ago."
"Sojers come back," averred the girl.
"Came back? How do you know?"
"Me see um, Me see injuns. Injuns he look for Jess Jame."
"The girl is right," roared Frank. "Out of this devilish hole. They've got him. What can one man do against a company of infantry and a whole village of redskins. Come!"
The bandit strode toward the opening whence they had first entered, then stopped short.