“I think the blow-up was intended for me and my pards, and it was only by a fortunate move of the wheel of fortune that all of us escaped. We must locate Hickok next at any cost.” “I’m with yer, Buffler, ez long’s thar’s any wind in my bellowses.” Skibo was snoring loudly, and Pa-e-has-ka and Nomad were about to seek rest, when Cayuse entered the room as silently as a spectre, and apparently under considerable excitement. He approached Buffalo Bill, and, after looking about as if fearing the walls had ears, said in low tone: “Pa-e-has-ka make um listen! Wild Bill chase heap bad man over plains into hills after blow-up.” “How do you know that, Cayuse?” “Find um Injun sell ponies Bloody Ike and all same stranger.” “Which way did they go?” “Sun come up here, him go that way,” answered Cayuse, pointing southward. “What time was that?” “Middle sleep.” “Well, Hickok has always shown great ability to take care of himself, but if he doesn’t turn up in the morning we’ll take a look down that way to-morrow.” “Cayuse better go now?” asked the boy, his black eyes containing more of appeal than his words. “No, not to-night, boy; but in the morning after you have rested and slept.” “Ugh! Cayuse all same not squaw,” complained the Piute, as he sought his hammock, for he could not be induced to sleep in a white man’s bed. Wild Bill had not arrived in the early morning, so Buffalo Bill and his three pards set out, their horses in fine fettle for the gallop into the foothills. They first visited the encampment of Crows who were peddling beads and baskets, and got a good description of Wild Bill, also the man of whom he was in pursuit and known to the Indians as Bloody Ike. At noon they were far into the hills and had discovered evidences of recent human occupancy of the mouth of an abandoned mining shaft. They entered and explored for some distance, but decided that the bird had flown. Outside again Cayuse left the others, and his pinto took up the work of trailing with exceeding care. Half an hour later he returned and hurried Pa-e-has-ka away to look at a discovery. Buffalo Bill found evidence of a recent explosion in a trail that led to the old mine by another way than they had come. For rods around the ground was covered with newly shivered rock, and a great mass had crashed down the mountainside. “You remain here, Cayuse,” said the scout, after studying the situation for a moment; “I am going down into the gulch. If I am not back in an hour leave Skibo to guard the horses, and with Nomad follow my trail.” “Ugh!” was the only reply of the Indian boy. More than one hundred feet down the sharp and rocky incline the scout came upon the carcass of a pony. “Ah!” he said, “the trail was mined, and horse and rider blown over the brink.” Careful search revealed no trace of his pard, but still farther down he found the bushes beaten down, as though a body had been dragged.