“I can’t tell that, Dell, but I hope it will be soon. You’re a brave girl, and you have been a big help to me in this bit of work.” “I haven’t done so much, Buffalo Bill, but my intentions were good. I’m your pard, am I not?” “Certainly!” “Thank you. It’s something to be Buffalo Bill’s girl pard. Come on, Annie.” The girls hurried to the horses and each took one by the bridle and started away in the direction of the buckboard. “When you pass Little Cayuse, Dell,” the scout called, “you might tell him to ride on here with Bear Paw and to bring Banks and Hendricks along. Until Nomad comes, I’ll feel better to have the boy with me.” “I’ll tell him,” Dell answered. The scout watched until the forms of the horses and the girls had vanished in the dusk. All was silent on the island. From appearances, Bascomb and Bernritter had given up the fight, and were probably behind the breastwork talking over recent disastrous events with Giles. Quick with his weapons as was Buffalo Bill, he would have felt abundantly able to keep a dozen men bottled up on the island. The only way Bascomb and Bernritter could possibly escape would be by rushing across the causeway at top speed, in the hope of gaining the main shore. With a marksman like the scout guarding the shore-end of the shaking bridge, such an attempt would have been nothing less than suicide. An hour passed before Little Cayuse came with Bear Paw and the two horses on which were Banks and Hendricks. Banks and Hendricks had seen the buckboard go past the valley with Annie McGowan and Dell, so they knew Buffalo Bill had been successful in rescuing the girl. How he had done it was more than they could tell, for Dell Dauntless had not taken time to explain the situation to Little Cayuse. “Where’s Bascomb an’ Bernritter?” asked Hendricks. “Over there on the island.” “What’s become o’ Giles?” “Well, Giles stretched that bridge for me, and when he tried to get away with this plunder I grabbed him and tied him up----” “Ye never!” breathed the astounded Banks. “And then,” proceeded the scout, “I carried a keg of water across, rescued Miss McGowan, sent Giles for the horses, and then sent him back again after he had got the horses over.” “The three of ’em’s over thar, hey?” stuttered Hendricks. “Yes.” “An’ they hevn’t tried ter come across?” “Oh, yes, they’ve tried three times; but I’m pretty well barricaded here, and they’re afraid of my bullets.” “Blazes ter blazes an’ kerry one!” breathed Banks. “How’s this fer a layout?” muttered Hendricks. “An’ all done by one man.” “Buffalo Bill,” added Banks. “No use tryin’ ter pull off a deal when he butts inter it. We was lame, Hendricks, in agreein’ ter help Bascomb an’ Bernritter when we knowed the king of scouts was agin’ us.” “But Bascomb said that hevin’ possession o’ the girl would knock the scout galley-west, an’ that he couldn’t do a thing.”