"Uncle dear—I'm—all right," came the faint answer.
"Kate? What—of her?" whispered George Young with lips as dry as corn husks.
"I did my best," said the hunter with a simple dignity. Nothing but the agonized appeal in the young man's eyes could have made Wetzel speak of his achievement.
"Tell us," broke in Heckewelder, seeing that fear had stricken
George dumb.
"We trailed 'em an' got away with the golden-haired lass. The last I saw of Joe he was braced up agin a rock fightin' like a wildcat. I tried to cut Jim loose as I was goin' by. I s'pect the wust fer the brothers an' the other lass."
"Can we do nothing?" asked Mr. Wells.
"Nothin'!"
"Wetzel, has the capturing of James Downs any significance to you?" inquired Heckewelder.
"I reckon so."
"What?"