“If you tried that,” said Benner, “you’d get sponged out yourself. I’m going to have the country watched, all around the ranch. If Buffalo Bill, or any of his pards, come here looking for Hickok, we’ll have them before we know what they’re doing.” “Purvidin’ they’re reckernized,” qualified Red Steve. “I hadn’t a notion Gringo Pete was Wild Bill--an’ I looked Gringo Pete over mighty close, too. Say, he’s some on playin’ a part, Wild Bill is.” “You’re a very accomplished man, Wild Bill,” said Benner, with some sarcasm, “but this time your accomplishments have loaded you up with more trouble than you can handle.” “It looks that way, for a fact,” returned the Laramie man cheerfully. “Would you mind telling me, Benner, how you happened to learn I wasn’t what I seemed?” “Jerry got next to that. Jerry can get next to anything in the lame-duck line.” “Which indicates that Jerry also has his accomplishments,” grinned Wild Bill. “But how did he turn the trick against me?” Benner explained that point in a few words. Wild Bill cast a rueful look in the direction of the fireplace. “If I hadn’t been a little shy on reasoning myself,” he muttered, “this wouldn’t have happened, and I’d now be on the way to the Star-A. Nobody but myself to blame. Go ahead and do your worst, Benner. After that, you take my advice and get out from under.” Benner whirled on his heel, beckoned Red Steve to follow, and the two men passed out of the room. The door was closed and the bolt shoved into place. “Same thing I heard a while ago,” reflected Wild Bill, “only the case is different. I’ve been more kinds of a chucklehead this trip than I know how to mention. Oh, I’m proud of myself! And Pard Cody will be just as proud when he finds out about it. Here I am, loaded to the guards with information that means liberty and good name for Dunbar, and perhaps life itself for Perry, and not able to do a thing to tell what I know. Pleasant situation! Mighty pleasant--if you don’t care what you say.” The Laramie man was greatly cast down, but he never allowed chagrin or dejection to cut very deep into his optimistic nature. He was caught hard and fast in the clutch of circumstances; yet it was better to face the gloomy situation with some show of grace, than to deaden his resources by giving way to despair. But Wild Bill was sorry for Dunbar and Perry--sorrier for them than he was for himself. The afternoon passed. Wild Bill, his limbs cramped and numb from the ropes, twisted around on the bed and fretted for some one to talk to. He beguiled some of the time by working at his bonds. They were knotted firmly, but he tried sawing the hempen strands in two by working the rope up and down on the side board of the bed. These tactics might have won out if he had had two or three days to keep at them, but a few hours grinding would accomplish little.