Young Wild West sized them up quickly and made up his mind that they were an honest lot, indeed.
He had come in contact with so many rough characters that he had made it a point to read faces and study character that way.
It was seldom that he made a mistake in his estimation of a man, either.
The miners seemed very glad to know the dashing young deadshot and his friends, and after they had talked awhile they, turned to make their way to their shanties, so they might get their suppers.
As our hero followed Sedgwick a little way from the camp his glance happened to turn toward the mouth of the narrow pass at the other side of the valley.
"Where does that trail lend to, John?" he asked, pointing it out.
"That?" the miner queried, as he shook his head. "That trail leads ter Silver Bend, which is another minin' camp a good deal bigger than this here one. It's only ten miles from here by goin' through that pass. But few as know about ther pass goes that way. They would rather go around about twenty-five miles, so they don't have ter go through it. They calls it 'Forbidden Pass,' yer know."
"Forbidden Pass, eh?"
Young Wild West looked interested.
"Yes, that's it."