It was just sun-up when the bandits finally approached the ranch, and Jesse announced his intention of going to the rancher's cabin alone, while the others remained in the background. But upon second thought, he told Wild Bill to accompany him.
No sign of life was observable about the place, and the outlaws were of the opinion that the household had not yet awakened.
The great desperado struck the door of the cabin, several thunderous blows with the butt of his revolver. But there was no response to his noisy summons. Stepping back a few paces he gave vent to a roar that should have awakened the soundest sleeper.
"Hullo the house!" he shouted several times, but without result.
Having failed to bring any response at all, the outlaw adopted a more drastic method of arousing the inmates of the place. He heaved a rock through an upper window, then set to with a will kicking the door with his heavy boots.
Then a most surprising thing happened.
The door suddenly flew open. A brawny hand grasped the outlaw by the collar and jerked him violently inside. Then the door was slammed to behind him.
At the instant of the occurrence, Bill's attention was directed in another direction. He had observed a bunch of likely looking horses grazing in a large corral on beyond the cabin. He was watching them with envious eyes. And his surprise was therefore great, when, upon turning he found that Jesse had suddenly disappeared. Not twenty seconds had elapsed since he first turned his attention to the horses, and he had heard no sound of voices nor the opening and closing of doors.
Bill did not like the look of things, and dodged behind a tree to wait further developments, though just what he expected might occur, he was unable to define to himself. There had been no commotion within the cabin so far as he had been able to observe. He could not relieve his mind of the feeling, however, that his chief was inside and that he was in difficulty of some sort. But what to do under the circumstance, he did not know. Perhaps the bandit-chieftain was working out some suddenly laid plan of his own, and to interfere with which would be fully as serious for Bill as would be the leaving of his chief in danger.
Wild Bill finally made up his mind to hurry back for consultation with his companions. Acting upon this impulse he turned and ran swiftly back, dodging in among the trees to screen his movements as much as possible, from any prying eyes that might be about. Seeking out the men he quickly made known to them the strange situation.