“It is well it is no worse. Now, see what a good dinner we have; or, I may say, supper, for it is getting late. I guess we’ll camp here to-night and return to our camp to-morrow; or I will go and bring the boys here, for you must keep quiet for a few days.” “What is you doing here in the Big Horn country, anyhow?” said Rocks, as Buffalo Bill untied the hands of the prisoners for them to eat their dinner. “That is just what I came here to ask you, and, as a government officer, I have the call.” “The nigger calls you Buffalo Bill.” “Yes.” “Is you him?” “Yes.” “I has heerd of yer,” said Rocks, watching the scout with interest. “So has I,” Tom Vail added. “You may hear of me before I leave this country of the Big Horn.” “Did ther nigger bring you here?” “About that.” “What for?” Buffalo Bill was willing to be questioned. He might find out what Black Bill had so far not made known to him. So he answered: “You know this country belongs to the Indians, and the government wishes to protect them in it, and will not send troops here, unless compelled to do so to punish murdering redskins. “You men, and others like you, are aware that the Big Horn is rich with gold finds, care nothing for the government’s pledges to the Indians, and invade the mountains and valleys as gold boomers. “This keeps the Indians restless, revengeful, and hostile, causing them to kill bands of whites where found, raid settlements away from their lands, and thus force the military to punish them severely for what you gold boomers have driven them to do. “You are, therefore, lawbreakers, and become murderers, for you kill the Indians, and they in turn kill the gold boomers and many innocent whites as well. “Now, I know that there is a settlement here, and, though they may have done no harm to the Indians, they are still lawbreakers, and must leave the country.” “You’ll have a lively time getting ther people of ther Lost Valley out of this country, Buffalo Bill.” “It may be; but they must go,” was the determined rejoinder of the chief of scouts. CHAPTER XXVII. A DISCOVERY. Buffalo Bill would have liked to have returned to his own camp that night, but he saw that Black Bill was still somewhat dazed by the wound in his head, and he did not just know how it would turn out. The scout had known similar wounds prove fatal when least expected, and if the negro was left to guard the two prisoners he might lapse into unconsciousness, and there be a possibility of the men getting free. Then, too, he knew what had been said by the two men of the pards they were expecting. They were overdue and might never come; and again, if they did happen to come that very night it would mean sure death to Black Bill, should he be left there alone.