In spite of this, when he had found a favorable finger of rock outthrust the scout swung the noose of his rope, and with a wonderful cast fastened it round the tip of the rocky projection on the other side. “Here goes!” he said. Clutching the rope, he ran forward, then flung himself boldly out over the black gulf. The momentum carried him across, so that his feet struck the opposite wall. As soon as he could steady the oscillation of the rope, he began to climb it, hand over hand. Though they had shown some evidences of an unfriendly attitude, Buffalo Bill’s daring in going to the aid of Juniper Joe stilled the Indians into peace. Slowly the scout climbed up the rope, over the dizzy chasm, mounting steadily until he gained the spot where Juniper Joe lay. Then he saw that Juniper Joe was not only not dead, but treacherously inclined; the fellow’s eyes were blazing, and as Buffalo Bill swung into the notch at his side, Juniper Joe lifted himself and drove at the scout with a knife. Though the surprise was stupendous, the scout was equal to the occasion; he dropped down on the treacherous scoundrel, and gripped him. A struggle followed; but Juniper Joe had not recovered from the jarring effects of his fall, and the scout was quickly the victor. Juniper Joe dropped back, panting and glaring. “Curse you!” he fumed. The scout had caught the fellow’s knife away, and now snatched away his revolvers. “A pretty greeting for a man who risked his life to come up here!” he said bitterly. “That’s all right!” growled Juniper Joe. “But what did ye come up for? Me, I reckon! You didn’t come jest to help me, I know.” Then he realized that he had said too much. “I’m kind o’ flighty,” he apologized; “so don’t think o’ what I’ve done. I didn’t really know it was you, Cody; ’pon honor, I didn’t. That jolt I got sort o’ put me out o’ my head. Hope you’ll overlook it.” He rolled his eyes round, as if looking for the Indians. “Those Utes won’t trouble you!” “Mebby they won’t,” Juniper Joe grumbled; “but I ain’t wantin’ to chance it. Ye see, I onct had trouble with old Iron Bow.” “You thought they shot at you and chased you?” “I did.” “Rest easy, then. They shot at a deer, or some game animal.” “How do you know it?” “I could tell by the way they yelled.” “You’re thunderin’ smart, you think!” Unnoting this insult, the scout tried to make an examination, to discover if Juniper Joe was much hurt. “It’s jest my leg and right hip,” said the rascal; “feels like my leg is broke.” “You couldn’t move it, if that was so.” The fellow had been bruised by his heavy fall, and the breath had been jarred out of him, yet he was not hurt, otherwise. “Oh, I think you’re all right!” the scout told him. “What you goin’ to do?” “Try to get you down from here.” “I’m surprised to see you hyar,” said Juniper Joe, more mildly. “I don’t reckon you come out to see if Iron Bow is thinkin’ of war trailin’?”