In his zeal to learn all with reference to Pa-e-has-ka, Little Cayuse had climbed up the tree and out upon another limb, intending to quietly reach the roof and hunt for some means of entering the cabin. As it happened, however, the branch slipped from under him, and he dropped upon the roof with a thud, crashing through the flimsy covering and landing on a few loose boards that separated the loft from the lower room in which the men were seated. There was no escape. He was in plain view of the heavily armed men below, and surrender was the only course open. In five minutes Cayuse was a prisoner and under guard by the demand of Sawyer, who countermanded Price’s order that the Piute be shot at once. Price told Sawyer that Cayuse was a trailer for Buffalo Bill and already knew too much, but the man from Washington, in spite of his dishonest calling, realized that the very violence of the methods of the “ring” would prove to be its own executioner. There were far too many such men as Price and his followers. CHAPTER XI. THE DYNAMITER AGAIN. Buffalo Bill reached the hotel at Bozeman late that night, and learned that Little Cayuse had not returned. He also, by careful inquiry, discovered that the doctor was in Virginia City. After a brief halt for food and rest for himself and horse, the scout pushed on to the mountains southward, for he was anxious regarding Wild Bill’s condition, and he half hoped that Little Cayuse had returned there. It was halfway from midnight to daylight when the scout was challenged by the stern: “Halt, dar! Who be yeh?” “It’s all right, Skibo.” “Bless my soul; it’s Mars’ Billyum hisse’f! We’s pow’ful glad, too, Mars’ Billyum; dat’s what we is.” “What is going wrong, Skibo?” “Eberyting jes nachally gone to de debil, Mars’ Billyum.” “What is it, Skibo; is Hickok worse?” “No; but he’s so mad he jes’ can’t hol’ him skin ober ’is bones.” “Well, well, what is it all about, Skibo?” “In de fust place, Nomad he done git oneasy, an’ jes’ nachally couldn’t stan’ it. So he done mount Hide-rack an’ slide out, an’ we hain’t seen him no mo’. Den, jes’ ’fore midnight dat measly pris’ner wiggle outen his rope an’ skedaddle. Mars’ Hickok done discober ’im jes’ in time to wing ’im. But ’e got erway, swearin’ awful.” “Cayuse hasn’t, returned?” asked the scout. “No, sah; we hain’t seen ’im sence yo’ an’ he went away dat mawnin’, Mars’ Billyum.” They were approaching the little shelter where the Laramie man had lain during his convalescence, and found the latter in no pleasant mood. Hickok related the story of Bloody Ike’s escape, and told how old Nomad had gone away, promising to return in a short time. Hickok’s condition was so much improved that he proposed to ride into town that morning, but the scout advised against it.