"Then what did he want to be so danged secret like with you duffers for? That's what gets me. You tell me right now or I'll give you a dose of the same medicine I got!" he growled menacingly. Tony laughed good-naturedly. "Jest a little job Jess had put up to save the girl's skin. What do you s'pose would have happened to her if she brought the medicine man here. Sure as you're alive, she'd a been in a bad way if the redskins got wise to what she's doin' with the medicine man. Do you get it?" Frank nodded and emitted a sigh of relief. "I just wanted to give you all a tip that I've got a gun or two in my belt, and what's more, they are liable to go off if any of you dubs monkey with this peg of mine. See?" But Tony and Texas, grinning broadly, had slipped away, their moccasined feet giving no intimation of their departure on the mission of the chief. The time seemed interminable to Frank and the wounded leg gave him much pain, as he twisted and swore at intervals over the long delay in bringing help. Night had fallen by the time the two bandits reached the opening of the cave. They had proceeded only a short distance beyond when their keen ears caught the sound of approaching footsteps. Quickly secreting themselves and crouching low the men awaited the nearer approach of the strangers, eyes keenly bent in the direction of the faint sound they had heard beyond. They had only a moment to wait. Tony nudged his companion and nodded his head. "Them's them," he ejaculated sententiously. "And by my spurs he's a giant," added Texas. "Yes, and there the gal behind him, Tex. She's a wonder." "There's some things worse'n some squaws," replied Texas. "S--h--h--h," cautioned Tony. "I'll take the big one and you get the girl, but don't hurt her. Give her a hunch as to what we're up to as soon as you get your clamps on her. Now." Silently and with bated breaths, the two desperadoes waited until the medicine man, who indeed did loom up a veritable giant in stature, had passed Texas. He was right beside Tony now, and so close that the bandit could easily have reached out and touched him. But Tony did not propose to adopt the ordinary methods of catching an Indian and for the very good reason that he had no ordinary man to deal with. His plans had been quickly matured. And what he did was successful from the very novelty of the proceeding. What Tony did was to shove a stout stick squarely between the medicine man's shins, at the same time giving a quick, sharp twist. The effect was magical. The Indian plunged head foremost to the ground, his feet waving wildly in the air for a moment. But before he could gain equilibrium or cry out, the same stout stick came down on his head with crushing force. The copper-hued sawbones lay still.