Betts was a powerful man, and was never known to surrender readily, so he began to put up the best fight he could. He partly broke the strangle hold on his throat, and reached for his knife, gurgling out a panting exclamation at the same time. That gurgling exclamation, unintentional though it was, proved a mighty lucky happening for Jim Betts right then. The clutch on his windpipe, which was closing again, dropped away; then a voice sounded: “Who are you?” “Wow! Who air you?” Jim Betts fell back, gasping and gurgling. “I’m Buffalo Bill!” “Wow! I’m Jim Betts!” The man drew himself together, pulling the blanket over him. “I beg your pardon,” he whispered: “I thought you were an Indian.” “An’ I thought you must be the devil the way you got holt o’ me.” “Get under this blanket quick, and lie low. Some of the Utes are coming over this way.” Betts, helped by the scout, slid under the gray covering, so that, as both men lay flat, the blanket covering them looked like a dark shadow against the ground. “Wow!” Betts was breathing, filled with amazement. “Cody! Wow! Buffalo Bill! I wonder if my thinkin’ machinery ain’t slipped its gearin’? Cody can’t be here.” “What’s happening?” the scout asked in a whisper, lowering his head. He had been peering out, with the blanket drawn close about his eyes. “I reckon that Gorilla Jake has gone under.” “I was guessing as much.” “You seen him?” “I heard him.” “And the Utes!” “No one could help hearing them.” “You didn’t see Matt Shepard, the sheriff?” “I didn’t; reckon he has gone under,” said Betts. “What you doin’ in hyer, anyhow?” “And you? We supposed you were on your way to Blossom Range.” Betts began an explanation, but the scout cut him short. “Hist! Not now. The Utes are near, some of them!” Betts and the scout lay snugly under the blanket, and the running Utes passed on and away. Buffalo Bill began to talk again in cautious whispers. “I came in here to look round, thinking that perhaps I might be able to capture Benson.” “And I come in hyer to look round, thinkin’ maybe I might be able to capture Gorilla Jake.” “But why didn’t you go on to Blossom Range?” “That’s why. I wanted to capture Jake. I seen him outside of the village when I fust set out, and turned in hyer after him. I might have got him, but the Utes chipped in, and I reckon Jake has seen his finish.” “You saw Benson?” “Yes. He was in the lodge with Jake, but he cut and run when the Utes pounced on Jake, so I don’t know what become of him.” “I think we’d better try to get out of this.” “It’s dangerous hyer right now.” “Almost as dangerous as death itself. If the Utes find us we’re gone. I never saw Indians so crazy. I’ve seen them drunk, but never anything like this. If Gorilla Jake has been killed by them I guess he brought it on himself, for he and Benson must have fired them up with whisky.”