They sat down, and after filling their pipes Angell began. “I wouldn’t take ther time now ter do any talkin’ ef I didn’t feel that we need a little rest afore tackling what’ll be a tough job. Five year ago I war down in Taos visitin’ a half-breed who war related ter Kit Carson. Ther cuss war weak-minded; not a shore-ernuff fool, but mighty near ter one. He hed been a member of a gang of desperadoes, Injun an’ white, that had made things mighty hot fer ther good people of ther Territory. Ther gang had been broken up, an’ Manuel Larios, the half-breed, hed saved his bacon by turnin’ State’s evidence. “It war shortly arter ther trial that I visited him. You wanter understand, Cody, that Manuel hed a sister, an’ that I had a sneakin’ admiration fer ther gal.” The big scout’s mouth twitched, and his eyes sought the floor. “She’s dead now, an’ I—I, waal, I thought a heap of her.” Buffalo Bill gave the speaker a glance charged with sympathy and appreciation, and, recovering himself, Angell went on composedly: “Manuel war in bed when I hit ther adobe that sheltered him. He talked a blue streak. War sure he war goin’ ter peter, an’ wanted ter ease his mind. Among other things, he reeled off a queer yarn erbout a cave in these yere hills. A member of ther gang he had been consortin’ with had found ther cave, an’ ther gang fixed it up fer a hidin’ place. Thar war a couple of mechanical critters in ther outlet, an’ they engineered ther platform racket. I reckon one of ther Injuns berlongin’ to ther gang war a Navaho, an’ that arter the gang war scattered he let out what he knowed ter Raven Feather. He couldn’t ha’ knowed ther hull thing, or else ther part of ther cave we hev not yet seen would ha’ been occerpied by ther reds. “Manuel told me that only a few members of ther gang, ther leader, Manuel, an’ two others, white men, knew erbout the retreat beyond ther crevice. Ter prevent the Injun contingent from gettin’ on to what war intended fer ther treasure house of ther gang, the leader an’ the few members he could trust worked ther crevice as a scare hole. They knowed that ther redskins would try ter investigate ther hole, an’ so they rigged up a scarecrow, and rubbed phosphorious onto it. The Injuns saw this scarecrow twice when they were prospectin’ erbout ther crevice. That shore let them out. They didn’t monkey with ther hole any more. Now, all redskins are plumb eaten up with superstition, an’ I reckon Raven Feather got hold of ther tale, an’ so ther crevice had no attraction fer him.” Raven Feather, who had not been gagged, here gave a grunt of disgust and shame. “Me heap fool,” he said, in English, to Angell. “Sure,” was the quick response. “That aire p’int war settled some time ago.” The scouts arose, and with the tomahawks taken from the prisoners, proceeded to attack the crevice. Their labor would have taken them many hours if, after working a short time, they had not struck a ledge of rotten rock.