“Then he must have a mob of Apaches with him?”
“He’s got Thunder Cloud’s band, an’ thar’s more’n fifty of ther reds.”
“You lie, Jack,” put in Buffalo Bill sternly. “If the Indians were with Ned early this morning, one of them, a brave, would have been detailed to scout my camp. As it was, Thunder Cloud was the scout. That’s not the office for a chief, and you know it.”
The outlaw grinned, and Shorty Sands laughed outright.
“What do you find that is funny about this business?” said the king of scouts, with a frown.
Flag-pole Jack looked at his companion. Sands nodded, and then the tall outlaw replied: “You ain’t on to the sitivation, Cody. I’ll put you in line. When Black-face Ned struck the hole of his old pards, me’n Shorty an’ Bat Wason—you ain’t seen Bat yet, but yer likely ter meet up with him afore long—thar wa’n’t no Injuns thar. They was camped five miles beyond. See? Well, yesterday Thunder Cloud, all by his lonesome, meanders inter ther hole. He sees ther gal what Ned is a-herdin’, an’ he corrals her name. Jumpin’ Jiminetty, but you orter seen him when he heerd it war ‘Hayden.’ The kunnel was onto his black list, you wanter understand. Right away he ’lowed that Hayden war not fur away. ‘In course,’ said he, ‘he’ll follow you, Ned, an’ I wonder that you ain’t had scouts out a-safeguardin’ your retreat.’
“Ned sniffed, an’ said he wasn’t worryin’ any erbout a pursuit by ther kunnel. But Thunder Cloud stuck to his guns. He induced Wason ter trot to ther Apache camp an’ tell ther reds ter hike up ter Ned’s hole, an’ yarly this mornin’, afore the Indians appeared, ther chief lit out fer ther desert. Now, yer have it,” concluded the speaker. “Ther Injuns aire with Ned now, an’ Thunder Cloud at ther head of ’em with blood in his eye.”
Buffalo Bill was disturbed by this statement. His eyes sought Wild Bill’s. The same thought was in the mind of each.
Without a word, Wild Bill turned, left the room, and, going to one of the cliff openings, looked out into the ravine.
Buffalo Bill was at his side when he said: “If that scoundrel told the truth, and I think he did, Black-face Ned will not run away. He will hunt us.”