Wild Bill scowled, his eyes glittered, and he whirled away from the cañon.
“If Captain Lawless has wiped out Cody, the best and truest pard a man ever had,” said he, between his clenched teeth, “Nomad and I will run out his trail—and, at the end of it, we’ll take all the pay the murderous whelp can give us.”
“Ye speak true, Hickok,” growled Nomad, looking up; “Lawless owes us er heap, an’ he’ll hev ter settle.”
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CURTAIN-ROCK.
The scout, his girl pard, and Wah-coo-tah, it will be recalled, were left in the level of the Forty Thieves, hurrying, as fast as the Indian girl’s wound would permit, toward the shaft.
Dell, returning from the drift with a flask of water, was about to hand the flask to Buffalo Bill when Wah-coo-tah started forward with a sudden access of strength.
“Pronto, pronto,” breathed the girl; “mebbyso I live to fool Lawless and save um Pa-e-has-ka—mebbyso.”
“What is it?” asked Dell wildly, following the scout and Wah-coo-tah and listening to the seething roar.
“Nuzhee Mona, Nuzhee Mona!” wailed Wah-coo-tah; “him Rain Walker, Big Water, Flood!”
“Ah!” muttered the scout: “there has been a cloud-burst in the cañon, and the water is coming down on us!”