"The one we saw to-day looked like a Lipan."
"So he did. And he stood right up for the girls. Steve, one of those young squaws was no more an Indian than you or I be. It makes my heart sore and sick to think of it. A fine young girl like that, with such an awful life before her!"'
"The other one was bright and pretty too, and she can use her bow and arrows. Murray, what do you think we'd better do?"
"Do? I wish I could say. My head's all in a whirl. But I'll tell you what, Steve, my mind won't be easy till I've had another look at that ledge. I want to know what they've done."
"The Buckhorn Mine? I'd like to see it too."
"Then we'll let their outfit go by us, and ride straight back to it. Might as well save time and follow those fellows up the pass. Plenty of hiding-places."
It was a bold thing to do, but they did it, and they were lying safely in a deep ravine that led out of the pass, a few hours later, when the "mining outfit" slowly trundled on its downward way.
Long before that, however, Bill and his two friends had made their report to Captain Skinner.
They had a well made up story to tell him, but it was not very easy for him to believe it.
"Met the two mining fellers, did ye? And they're friends with the 'Paches. Wouldn't let 'em do ye any harm. How many red-skins was there?"