“Buenos!” murmured Wild Bill, taking a chair; “maybe I can help in the unraveling more than you think.”
A clatter of approaching hoofs sounded. The scout started forward in his chair.
“Don’t be in a taking, pard,” counseled Wild Bill. “Nomad, Little Cayuse and the sky pilot are riding up. I left them back in the timber.”
CHAPTER VI.
PARDS IN COUNCIL.
The coming of Jordan was another surprise to the scout. When he, and Dunbar, and the scout, and Nomad, and Wild Bill were gathered in the living room of the ranch house, with Little Cayuse on guard over the live stock at the corral, a council was held.
Hickok told of the watch-throwing contest in Hackamore, of the scrap of paper, its message, and how he, Nomad and Cayuse had happened to ride to Perry’s on their way to Phelps’ ranch. The “come-alongs” also came up for discussion.
“These may come handy, pards,” remarked the king of scouts significantly, looking the handcuffs over and then dropping them into his own pocket.
“Take this, too,” said Wild Bill, “unless you want to call in a blacksmith to get them off of whoever you put them on.”
He passed over a key, which went into the scout’s pocket along with the manacles.
Then Buffalo Bill told how he had dropped in on Red Steve and Nate Dunbar at the dugout, and of the ride to the ranch house.