Hathaway handed over the rifle to him. The latter went on to tell Steve that he had seen one gun flash from the limb of a pine which almost overhung the spot where they had first stood. “I’m going to creep for him,” said Buffalo Bill. “If I can get him between me and the sky, he’ll be dead meat after my rifle sings her song.” The scout crept from rock to rock under the bushes for some little time, while the scouts and soldiers kept the men above occupied, for the former fired every time they saw a gun flash. This shooting, however, was entirely at random, and there was no certainty of their hitting a man. But when the border king’s rifle was heard to crack at last, almost simultaneous with the report came a shriek of agony. “Buffalo Bill first, last, and forever!” shouted Wild Bill. “Did you hear that wild cat howl? He’ll not keep his den in them rocks any more. I reckon he’s gone up!” “No--he came down, like Captain Scott’s coon!” said Buffalo Bill, who now crept back. “I let him down out of that tree nicely. But he fell on the bank above. I was in hopes he’d drop over!” The firing was still kept up, though it was now quite dark, but apparently to no effect, except to show that powder was plentiful on both sides. CHAPTER XXVIII. STORMING THE CAVERN. After Bill Harkness left Mainwaring, to go up where the firing was now pretty regular, the latter thought he would look around as far as the bounds named by Harkness would allow. So, after taking a long, earnest look at May, who sat with Gertrude near the fire listening to some droll talk from Ben which kept Lize roaring with laughter, the young rancher strolled back toward the avenue, or chamber, which he was told he could use for a promenade of a hundred yards, if he liked. It was dimly lighted by the distant fires and torches, but the floor was level, so he walked on and thought. Thought about home--his good mother, his dear brothers, and the fair sisters who might never see him more, and then, walking back where he could see May with the firelight at play upon her beautiful face, he thought he would risk his very life to get her out of the hands of these ruffians. Suddenly he became aware that he was approaching a man; and thinking it might be the sentinel who stood at the death line, he began to retreat. “Halt! Come here, I want to talk with you!” said the man, whoever he was, seen indistinctly in the gloom. Mainwaring recognized the voice. It was that of the man who had spoken to Harkness, asking who his prisoners were, and what he intended to do with them. So he made up his mind quickly, as he knew this man was well armed, that it would be folly to refuse his invitation to advance. He came forward until he was close to the man, who then said, in a low tone: “Stop--you’re near enough. Speak low, and answer my questions.”