“If those friends of yours push on for a fight they’ll get it--an’ a great deal more than they’re looking for, too!” “They’re fighting now, aren’t they?” asked Mainwaring. “I hear guns firing.” “Maybe they’re wasting some powder. They couldn’t do anything with us here, not if they tried for six months. We’re walled in from the east, for I had it all fixed to tumble forty tons of rock down right on the trail. I meant to wait a little longer, so that the rock would fall on some of them, but the trap worked too easy. “West from here there’s no opening that isn’t guarded, and only an eagle could get up the cliffs on that side. So you can make your mind easy about those friends of yours. You needn’t worry yourself with any hopes that they are going to save you.” But Mainwaring could not make his mind easy. He loved Buffalo Bill as well as a brother, and he had been a good comrade with the rest of the border king’s party. And he feared now, seeing how strong the place was, that the knight of the plains and his fellow scouts would lose their lives in trying to rescue him. Supper was now set out on a rough slab of stone for Mainwaring and Harkness, and a very good meal it was, too, considering the situation. Mainwaring saw that there was a great deal of dried meat and some fresh game hanging up in the place, and he also noticed that there was forage for the horses stacked in the upper end of the cave, where they were tied, to the number of about two hundred. There was no lack of water. It dripped in springs on every side, finding its way off in little trickling streams as bright as silver. The bandit chief noticed how observantly Mainwaring took in the general features of the place, and he said sarcastically: “Study things out as much as you like, stranger. You’ll never have a chance to tell outsiders how we look or live.” “What do you mean?” said Mainwaring, in surprise. “You are going to release me if the ransom is paid, aren’t you? That was our bargain.” “Yes--but we shan’t let you go till the money is paid over. And even then, before we let you leave, you’ll have to swear by an oath that you dare not break never to expose what you have seen here. We’ve got snug quarters here, and we intend to keep them.” “If I gave you my promise to keep anything secret it would be as good as any oath,” replied Mainwaring, looking the chief straight in the eye. “Yes, you look honest,” muttered Harkness. “Too honest for this crowd, I reckon. But for all that you’ll have to take the oath. I would be willing to let you go without it, but the men wouldn’t. They wouldn’t trust you or anybody on his bare word.” Mainwaring had now finished eating, and he asked if there was any objection to his smoking. “None at all. Eat, drink, and smoke when you feel like it. If you are sleepy, there are blankets for you. But mark me--you must not do any cruising about! If you go over where the horses are, you’ll get a dose of lead through your carcass!