This favorable news concerning Wah-coo-tah put the scout and his pards into an agreeable mood, and when they “sat in” at their table, in the dining-room, that evening, they were in the best of spirits. Dell was not with them, as she preferred to take her supper in her room, where she could be with Wah-coo-tah; but Lonesome Pete, Hank Tenny, and Henry Blake were of the supper-party, and the fresh meat was heartily enjoyed.
As on another occasion when the scout and his pards had returned from a conflict with Captain Lawless and his followers, the meal was made the occasion for an exchange of experiences, to the end that the tangled skein of events might be set right in everybody’s mind, and thoroughly understood.
Buffalo Bill led off with the contents of the envelope Blake had brought into camp in such an unusual manner, following it up with the talk in the Alcazar, and the voice of warning that had come from the cellar; then he followed the recital down to where he and his pards had reached the mine, and he and Wild Bill and Nomad had gone into the shaft, leaving Cayuse and Dell to take care of the horses.
“You were the first one to disappear, Nick,” the scout said, at this point, “so you had better tell us what happened to you.”
“Waal, et happened so pesky quick thet what I recomember is sort o’ hazy,” said the old trapper. “You had jest been through ther level, Buffler, an’ ye said thar wasn’t any one down thar but us. When I drapped ther truck I had kerried from ther shaft, I moseyed off toward ther breast o’ ther level with my candle. I hadn’t gone fur, afore a hole opened up in ther wall alongside o’ me, an’ a light shot out thet made my candle look like er glow-worm alongside of er locomotive head-light. Nacherly I let off er yell; then I was grabbed afore I could use my fists er guns, an’ snaked inter another part o’ ther mine.
“Mebby I wasn’t surprised when Lawless looked down at me an’ told er couple o’ Cheyennes how ter tie me so’st I couldn’t move. Arter I was in thet condition I was snaked off ter a place whar the level was wider, and whar thar was some hosses, an’ left thar ter commune with myself.
“Next thing I knowed Wild Bill was dragged alongside er me ter keep me comp’ny. He told o’ the fight you an’ him had had, an’ how he didn’t know but mebby you mout be killed, Buffler. While he was sayin’ thet, Lawless yelps out from somewhere thet ye wasn’t killed, but thet ye was goin’ ter be some time along erbout sunrise.
“Arter thet not er bloomin’ thing happened ter Wild Bill an’ me till we was loaded onter cayuses behind them Cheyenne bucks, an’ kerried up ter ther top o’ ther gulch wall. I knowed them onnery outlaws had er mortgage on my skelp, an’ I was expectin’ ’em ter foreclose any ole minit, so ye kin imagine how surprised I was when Pete, Tenny, Blake, an’ Cayuse leaped out from behind the rocks an’ purceeded ter make things interestin’. I reckon thet’s all o’ et, so fur’s I’m mixed in ther scrimmage.”
“And you’ve told my part of it, Nick,” said Wild Bill. “Knocked down in that fight Buffalo Bill and I was having, my wits took a vacation. When they got back again I was alongside of you, in the other part of the mine.”
“Now it’s up to you, Cayuse,” said the scout. “We’ll get all these fag-ends bunched together, and then I’ll finish off with what happened to Dell and me.”