I guess they thought I was buried under the rubbish in the drug store, because I have seldom seen men more astonished. I walked up closer. Even Joe looked half wrecked, and his face was all blackened with powder. "Hello, Jud," called Pike. "You ain't a-going to strike a man when he's down, be you, Jud? I might 'a' been harder on you many a time than I was, Jud." "No, I won't hurt you, but you've got to stay, that's all," I said. "Help him over to the hotel and then go on with the others and don't come back," I added, looking at Joe. There was nothing for him but to do as he was told, because I held the gun on them both, and they had heard the click as I drew back the hammers. Pike's left leg seemed to be broken and he was all burned and blackened with the powder. I sent Joe for a mattress, which he put on the floor of the office and rolled Pike on it. Then he drove off with the others. So that is the whole account of the second visit of the outlaws to Track's End, just as it all happened, Saturday, March 19th. "Now, Pike," I said, after Joe had gone, "the first thing--out with that handcuff key!" He took it from his pocket and gave it to me. I unlocked each of my bracelets. They left deep red marks around my wrists. Pike asked for a drink of water and I got it for him. I could see that he was in pain. "You've played it on us again, Jud, I'll be hanged if you ain't," he said to me. "What'd you have under that counter, Jud?" "A can of blasting-powder," I answered. "Dangerous place to store it when there's explosions, and kerosene lamps and hot stoves, and fires, and such truck around. It done us fellers up, and that's a fact." "Well, I wasn't trying to make you feel at home," I replied. "How did you happen to be blowing open other folks's safes?" "Oh, it's all right, Jud, it's all right," he said. "I ain't finding no fault. Only I think you'd 'a' done better to join us and get your share." Though I still felt pretty dizzy and weak I started out to look about town. I found that the inside door of the bank safe was still tight shut, though the outer one was blown off. The building was wrecked and the drug store was not in much better shape. I could see that the bank had been afire, but that Joe had put it out with water from the well. Outside the barn I found Dick and Ned and the pony the Indian had taken, with three of the gang's horses which had been left behind, huddled together trying to keep out of the snow, which was still coming down at a great rate and was being swirled about by the wind. I let them in, and they were all very glad to get some feed, as were likewise the cow and chickens. I found that the Indian had pried open the back door with a crowbar from among the blacksmith's tools. Night was already coming on and I was so tired and sleepy that I could scarce keep up. So I made Pike as comfortable as I could, and went to bed and slept like a log.