“I know now, baron,” said McGowan, “that you’re an honest Dutchman and a brave one. You hadn’t anything to do with that bar of gold. There’s my hand on it. Do you accept my proposition?” “Villingly, Misder McGowan!” cried the baron. “You make me so habby dot I can’t see shdraight. Kiss der chentleman, Frieda.” Frieda did so, much to the “chentleman’s” discomfort. And she did not stop with McGowan, but, in her excitement, kissed Buffalo Bill and Nomad, as well. “Dere, now, dere, now,” cried the baron; “you vas going too far for my biece oof mindt, Frieda. I don’d like dot. Gif me dree to efen oop.” Frieda gave the baron the “three,” and they were hearty ones; then the scout and the trapper shook the baron by the hand, wished him luck, and left him--happy. “Thar goes one o’ yer stand-bys, Buffler,” said Nomad. “Ye’ll never hev ther blunderin’ baron around ye any more.” “He was a good fellow,” said the scout, “and he was always loyal.” “How could a pard be anythin’ else but loyal ter Buffler Bill?” demanded Nomad. Down by the laboratory the sheriff’s buckboard was drawn up, ready to make a start for Phœnix. Hawkins was on the rear seat with Jacobs, and the doctor was on the front seat. Rising was just gathering up the lines, and had one foot on the hub of a forward wheel. “Off for town?” asked the scout. “On the jump, Buffalo Bill,” returned Rising. “We’ll be after you in less than an hour.” “I should think you’d want to hang out here for a week or two and rest up after your exciting work.” “We don’t need much rest, Rising; what we do need we’ll secure in Phœnix. To-morrow we have to start for Fort Apache.” “Well, the work you’ve done here has put a big feather in your cap.” The scout smiled. “Feather!” snorted Nomad. “Give et ter Leetle Cayuse: He’s the on’y one in our bunch thet wears feathers.” “He’s entitled to one for this Three-ply work, all right enough,” said the scout. “What are you going to do about capturing Bascomb and Bernritter, Rising?” “To tell the truth, Cody, I don’t believe we can do much of anything. If those two villains are wise, they’ll not stop until they have crossed the Mexican line. I’m thinking they’re wise enough for that. If they are, of course that lets me out.” “When I get to Fort Apache I’ll talk to the agent about these red renegades that are helping Bascomb out in his lawlessness. They ought to be rounded up and sent back to the reservation.” “That will be a help to the forces of law and order in this county, Buffalo Bill.” “Well,” spoke up McGowan, “if five thousand dollars will help any toward the capture of either Bernritter or Bascomb, I stand ready to post that amount on each.” He turned inquiringly to the scout. “It wouldn’t be any incentive to me,” said the scout. “I’ll see what can be done about it when I get back to Phœnix, McGowan,” said Rising.