The fact that his scouting expedition had been known to his master caused the old Indian fighter's face to fall, for he had thought that his going had been unnoticed. "Poke fun at me if you want to," he retorted. "You may not git the chance to laugh again for some time." The seriousness of their pal's tone hushed the hilarity on the outlaws' lips. Yet before he had the opportunity to explain his words, Wild Bill cried: "Look! Look! To the north! Quick!" Believing their fellow had caught sight of the redskins coming back, the desperadoes wheeled like a flash, whipping out their shooting irons at the same time. But it was not Indians they saw. Hastily raising their eyes, when they found that it was no skulking figures that had called forth Wild Bill's excited exclamation, they were just in time to see a shower of seeming stars dropping through the air. "It's a falling meteor!" ejaculated Bob Moore. Believing it was, indeed, some of those phenomena so common on the plains, the outlaws gazed at the spectacular sight. But the bandit-chieftain did not share their opinion. "Dropping meteor nothing," he exclaimed. "Have you fellows all gone nutty that you can't recognize a falling rocket? "You've seen enough of them, I should think." "That's just what I was goin' to say," declared the bandit who had been the one to call the attention of his fellows. "When I first saw it, them white stars was a green ball." "Then it's a signal," ejaculated Bud. "My eye! but you're the wise guys," grunted Jesse. "Of course it's a signal. You didn't think it was old Great Bear giving a fireworks display in our honour, did you? "It's a signal, all right, all right, and it's from those cavalry fellows, too. "Injuns don't go round carrying a stock of rockets in their belts. "Now the thing to do is to find out what point of the compass they're signalling to." With alacrity, the outlaws faced about, some gazing in one direction and some in another. Not long were they obliged to wait to learn the answer to their leader's question, however. Scarcely had the shower of sparks vanished than one of them sang out: "Here she comes, from the East, boys!" But the words had no more than left his lips than another shouted: "They're answering from the south, too!" Rapidly Jesse and his men whirled, viewing first the rocket to the east and then to the south. "Jumpin' snakes! They've got us surrounded!" gasped Texas Jack. "You're wrong, pard," interposed Bob. "They haven't quite surrounded us yet. There's been no rocket from the West." "And that's the side of the canyon where our horses are. Were sure in luck. I reckon it's a good thing we had this brush with the redskins. It's showed us where the sojers are," chimed in Homely Harry, not wishing to let the others get ahead of him. "After them rockets, we kin ride dead West an' git away. If it hadn't been for the Injuns we might a rid right into some of the sojers."