He got his horse in a jiffy, and, hastily telling the girls where he was going rode off toward the pass. So quickly had the young deadshot acted that Roche had not more than three or four minutes the start of him. If he went along at an easy gait Wild would be able to overtake him before he got through the pass. So quickly had the young deadshot acted that Roche had not more than three or four minutes the start of him. If he went along at an easy gait Wild would be able to overtake him before he got through the pass. Our hero knew that he was undertaking a risky thing, for he was quite sure that there was a band of outlaws located somewhere in the pass, or very near to it. But he went on without any hesitation, prepared for anything that might turn up. The place was totally strange to him, but the boy had confidence in the sorrel stallion he rode. Spitfire would surely follow the horse that was ahead. There was no mistake about that. On went the dashing young deadshot, covering the ground rapidly. He figured it that the storekeeper of Silver Bend was not going very fast, however, and when he thought he ought to be pretty close to him he brought his horse to a sudden halt and listened. Wild had reckoned rightly, for he could hear the clatter of hoofs ahead. "Ah!" he exclaimed, under his breath. "That was a pretty good guess. Another minute and I would have been right up chose to him--close enough for him to see me, perhaps. But I hardly think he has heard me, so I'll keep right on." He set out again, keeping his horse at a walk. Suddenly the hoofbeats ahead ceased. Wild let the horse walk right on, for the sounds that came from Spitfire's hoofs could hardly be heard, the ground being very soft just there. But when about a hundred feet had been covered Wild brought his horse to a halt and dismounted. Throwing the bridle rein over the animals head, he hurried forward on foot. He rounded a turn in the pass just in time to distinguish the outlines of a horse, and rider making straight for the almost perpendicular wall at the left of the pass. Then, all of a sudden, both man and horse disappeared! "By jove!" exclaimed our hero, under his breath. "I reckon Cap Roche has made a stop before going over to Silver Bend. Now it is for me to find out where he has stopped. I didn't think I would have as much luck as this. Whew! I reckon it won't take us long to settle accounts with the outlaws of Forbidden Pass." Stepping forward noiselessly, he was soon at the very spot where he had last seen the horse and rider. There was nothing there now and only the bleak walls of stone were before him. It was very dark in the pass too, but he could see the stars twinkling overhead, and he was thus enabled to distinguish objects. Wild went straight to the face of the cliff. He put out his hand. It was not rock that he touched, but a piece of canvas or similar material.