For hour after hour the boy continued his lonely vigil, imagining all sorts of things, but unable to do anything to settle his misgivings. In the east he saw a gray streak of dawn hovering above the rim of the cañon, and realized with a start that the night had passed, and that day was at hand.
Perhaps, he reasoned, as daylight gathered and brightened the surroundings, he might be able to discover what had become of Dell. Meantime, the horses must not be neglected.
There was a pool in front of the gully’s mouth, and Cayuse led the animals down, one at a time, and let them drink.
By the time he had finished this duty, the morning was well advanced toward sunrise. As he picked his way out of the scrub in the direction of the cañon, casting about in his mind as to the best course for him to follow in looking for Dell, he came to a sudden and astounded halt.
Looking out through the narrow opening into the cañon, he had abruptly caught sight of three mounted men, and of another on foot.
The man on foot he recognized as Captain Lawless, Buffalo Bill’s enemy; those on the horses Cayuse also knew, and they were Clancy, Seth Coomby, and the scoundrel called “Tex,” all three members of Lawless’ gang.
Dropping instantly to his knees, Cayuse crept closer to the mouth of the gully. There, crouching behind a boulder, he watched and listened with sharp eyes and ears.
The men were talking, and from his present position the boy could hear them distinctly.
“I want you, Clancy,” Lawless was saying, “to set off those blasts as soon as you can fire the fuses. The time to wipe out Buffalo Bill and his pards has come. Quick work will do the trick.”
“An’ what’s ter become o’ us, arterwards?” asked Tex moodily. “Pickin’ off a lot of fellers like Buffler Bill and his pards is li’ble ter mean somethin’ ter us.”