Then, to her alarm, she heard the dogs more distinctly. They seemed to have gained the top of the ridge, and their loud baying rang out.
CHAPTER XLII.
ANOTHER STOOL PIGEON.
Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill had gained the Blue Hills in the region of Panther Pete’s stronghold.
They had escaped from the vigilantes in a manner that was not even yet clear to them, for they had no present means of discovering who threw the bomb which gave them the opportunity to get away from the mob. Whoever he was, they felt grateful to him, and called him their friend.
As their purpose was to hunt down Panther Pete as soon as they were safely out of the town, they shaped their course in the direction of the hills where, as they had previously learned, Panther Pete had a stronghold.
It seemed a blind attempt to locate it, for the Blue Hills were of large area. However, the daring scouts had more than once set out with less to guide them in their efforts to run down some desperado, and had succeeded.
They were sure that a pursuit would be made from the town, and they knew that, if hard pressed, the Blue Hills would give them refuge, as well as it gave Panther Pete.
As they rode on, both mounted on one horse, they discussed Panther Pete and what they had heard of him, and the singular fact, as it seemed to them, that both had appeared at about the same time in Scarlet Gulch, led by the same motive.
They pitched camp in the borders of the Blue Hills, and awaited there the coming of day.
Sunrise was no more than upon them when they beheld a man who had set forth to find and misguide the pursuers of Panther Pete; a man who was one of the “stool pigeons” already described.