CHAPTER VIII.
CAPTURED IN THE PASS.
As our friends neared the commencement of Forbidden Pass they saw that a crowd of the miners of the camp were watching them.
A man, whom they easily recognized as Sedgwick, waved his hand to them, and they answered it.
"I suppose he thinks that something will surely happen to us, if the outlaws are still hanging around here," our hero observed. "Well, he may be right; we can't tell."
"I want to read that sign, Wild," spoke up Arietta, as she brought her horse to a halt. "Well, it was not painted by an ignorant man, anyhow. It is about the first sign, with so many letters to it, that I have seen spelled correctly—in a little camp, like this, anyhow."
"Oh, I reckon Cap Roche made the sign, all right, Et," replied our hero. "He seems to be a pretty smart man. The lettering is good, I must say. And there is even a painted background—something I did not notice last night, boys. A pale-blue background, with white letters. Well, that is all right!"
"We have got to pay toll, I suppose, Arietta," said Jim, with a twinkle in his eye.
"I said a minute or two ago that I would pay it, if any was demanded," she retorted. "Just leave that part to me."
No one knew exactly what she meant, and it is hardly likely that she did herself. But there was one thing evident, and that was that she did not mean that any money was to be handed over to the outlaws, should it be demanded.
They did not remain at a halt long, but proceeded on their way, their horses at a gentle canter.