"Because they're on our trail!"
This statement produced a profound sensation among the bandits and quickly they plied Jesse with questions as to his reasons for making it, that is, all but Frank, who, with a sneer started toward the edge of the cliff to find out for himself, though it was eloquent testimony for his secret regard for his brother's intuition that he dropped to his belly and approached the precipice with all the caution of which he was master.
Smiling as he saw this indication of alarm, Jesse addressed the others:
"It's an old trick among troopers, one that will be well for you to remember in the future, when they are on a search, for the squad that's hit the trail not to answer the rocket signals of the others.
"If the men they're hunting happen to see the rockets in every direction but one, they'll naturally make the move Homely suggested—ride away in the direction from which there was no signal—and fall right into the trap!
"I had a close call once—before I got wise. That's how I happen to know.
"How near the troopers on the west are to us, of course I can't tell.
"But they're not very far off. They've hit our trail in the canyon and—"
"They're right down at the foot of the cliff examining the dead campfires the Injuns left," interrupted Frank.