“Cayuse!” exclaimed the scout. “This is better than I hoped for.” CHAPTER XXVI. THE MOB FROM PHELPS’ RANCH. “How, Pa-e-has-ka?” said Little Cayuse, sliding from Navi’s back. “You make um heap quick ride to town.” The sharp-eyed lad saw that there was something unusual in the wind. A look at the scout’s face, even if there had been no other evidences of trouble, would have been enough for him. “Where are Wild Bill and the baron?” the scout asked. He was hoping they might be so close that Cayuse could go after them and get them to the ranch before H-P outfit arrived. “All same down river,” reported Cayuse. “Make um hunt for Red Steve.” “Are they having any luck?” “Find um trail, lose um, find um again.” “They’ve hit Red Steve’s trail, have they?” “Hit um trail man on foot. Mebbyso Red Steve, mebbyso somebody else. Quien sabe?” The boy shrugged his shoulders and grunted. “How far away are Wild Bill and the baron?” “Mebbyso ten mile.” This was too far. The scout could not send Cayuse after his missing pards with any hope that they would be able to reach the Star-A ranch before the mob of cowboys arrived. Anyway, if they were on Red Steve’s trail, the scout preferred to leave them to run it out. It was of the utmost importance that Red Steve be found. Something of what was passing in the scout’s mind was divined by Perry. “If you could get your pards here, Buffalo Bill,” said the rancher, “it might be a good idea.” “I doubt whether Cayuse could cover the ten miles and bring them here before the mob arrives,” answered the scout. “Besides, Perry, it is almost as important that Red Steve be apprehended before he can get out of the country. I think we had better leave Wild Bill and the baron to take care of that part of the work. From what Cayuse tells us, I believe luck has been with them, and that they are on the right scent.” Cayuse was deeply interested in the mysterious state of affairs at the ranch. He was not given to asking questions; it was rather his part to keep his ears and eyes wide open and pick up what he wanted to know from the ordinary course of events. The scout, however, proceeded to explain to him just what the situation meant. The boy’s eyes sparkled as he listened. “Cayuse make um ride back plenty good time, hey?” he asked. “Buenos! Me like um.” “Why did you come back?” the scout asked. “Wild Bill say Cayuse come, make um stay ’long with Perry and white squaw. Him say tell um Pa-e-has-ka we find um trail, mebbyso follow um trail all night. Ugh!” “I see. Wild Bill thinks he may be all night running out the trail, and if I got back from town he wanted me to know that he thought he was meeting with some success. Put out your pinto, Cayuse, and we’ll go into the house. There’ll be some preparations to be made, Perry,” he added to the rancher while the Piute boy was attending to Navi.