"Come on! We'll go down and get the ponies while we have the chance," cried Frank, moving toward the edge of the cliff.
Ere he had taken more than a few strides in the carrying out of his purpose, Jesse's voice rang out:
"Hold on; don't be in such a hurry!
"If any of you show yourself on the edge of the cliff, I'll drop you in your tracks!"
In amazement those of the outlaws who had started after Frank, stopped and turned toward their leader, their surprise evident in their faces.
"What's the reason we can't get the horses?" snapped the elder of the James boys. "Speak lively! You're wasting valuable time!"
"It's better to waste time than our lives, isn't it?" returned his brother, with a deliberation that was exasperating to the highly wrought bandits.
"You ought to know better, Frank.
"I reckon Texas hit it right when he said we were surrounded!"
"Then why didn't the men in the West send up a rocket?" demanded the elder of the James boys.