“There is, but it is too long to tell to-night, besides, we’ve got to capture the scoundrel.” CHAPTER XXVII. THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR. When Bloody Ike reached the top of the basin, where Price was waiting impatiently, and consumed with curiosity, he was out of breath and unable to express his feelings, but he shook his fists, waved his arms, gasped and choked in impotent rage. “Did you get any grub?” asked Price. Ike pulled bread and meat from his pockets. Price fell to and kept his mouth so full that he could not ask questions until Ike had had opportunity to regain his wind. Ike’s first words indicating a state of reason, after a broadside of oaths and imprecations hurled in the direction of the lights which could be seen moving about down below, were: “We’ve got to get out of here.” “Can’t we hide among the rocks somewhere until they give up the chase?” “They’ll never give up the chase--who do you suppose is there?” “No; who?” “Buffalo Bill and his pards.” “The devil!” “Worse than that; Buffalo Bill is ten devils and a million imps when he is on a man’s trail, curse him. I’ve tried over and over again to blow him to kingdom come, and he defeats me every time. He bears some sort of a charmed life and it’s no use for me to buck up against ’im.” “What was the blow-up?” “A can of blasting powder that ought to have lifted the whole bunch of them into next week, but that long-haired representative of Uncle Sam and the hot place jumped out just in time to see the fuse, dig the can out of the rocks and throw it into a chasm before it exploded. Oh! if it only had gone off in his hands, instead of three seconds later!” “Pretty bold thing to do!” “Curse him, yes. He isn’t afraid of man or devil, and it is his everlasting readiness to act and take the chances that wins. If I’d been ten seconds later he’d probably pumped me full of lead, into the bargain!” “He’s a bad man to buck up against; I’ve found that out, Ike.” “Well, I said we’ve got to get out of this place, and the sooner we go the better--are you ready?” “Which way shall we go--out across the plain again?” “Great Scott! no. They’ve got horses and would pick us up as soon as light. We’ve got to stick to the mountains, where a horse can’t go, and keep out of sight--and keep going. I’d rather have old Split-hoof, himself, on my trail than Buffalo Bill.” “We can’t live in these mountains long--there isn’t so much as a catamount to eat.” “We’ll have to go hungry, then, for I’m going to keep as far from Cody as possible.” “You seem to have got a new appreciation of the scout.” “Well, you’d have, if you had seen him lift that can of blasting powder above his head when he was expecting it to go off every second, and throw it farther than I could throw a ten-pound weight. I tell you a man that’s got nerve and strength like that is too many for Ike.”