“Well, what else?”
“A heap, for I wants ter let ther folks know thet Dave Dunn and me were up in ther range and seen you breakin’ inter ther cabin’ o’ Deadshot Dean.”
A murmur went through the crowd at this, while Buffalo Bill said indifferently:
“Is that all?
“Why, I feel relieved, for I was afraid you were going to accuse me of cheating you.”
“Oh, no, yer played square enough, for I was a-watchin’ yer; but we seen yer breakin’ inter Deadshot’s cabin, and Tom and Jerry caught yer at it. But you was too soon for them, got them under ther muzzle of yer gun, and trotted them off as house-breakers when you was the thief.”
“Why did you not at once come to their rescue?” asked Buffalo Bill, when the uproar which these words created had in a measure subsided.
“We was up in Eagle Nest Mountain, and it took us a long time ter git down to ther valley and up to Pocket City. Then we found thet ther folks hed believed you, Buffalo Bill, agin’ them men, and it were too late. So we talked it over, and thar is jist a large-size community here ter-night as says you has got ter hang, too.”
“Why not make it by unanimous consent, Mister Pistols, for it would sound better when reported at the fort to Colonel Dunwoody?”
The crowd gave vent to a murmur of admiration at the scout’s pluck. He did not appear to be in the least degree disturbed by the danger he most certainly was in.