"It was a poor way for you to win out, this letting us get you and those others, I think," he added. "Well, of course, I did not expect anything like this to happen," Wild answered, coolly. "That was a pretty good scheme your men put through when they got me. But let me tell you that my two partners have gone to get a crowd of miners to come here and clean, you out. They know just how to get in, for they have seen the curtain raised in front of the opening that leads in here. But they knew all about that last night, for I followed you here and saw you come in. I told them all about it, and they know just what to do now." Cap Roche looked uneasy. He did not relish the idea of the miners of Big Bonanza finding out about the cave. And he was now pretty certain that they would. The fact that he was known to be the leader of the outlaws made it impossible for him to go back to Silver Bend, too. Though he had the best of Young Wild West just then, he knew he was in a very bad box. "You have done well, Young Wild West," he said, trying to appear cool. "You have done something that no one else has been able to do--you have found our cave and exposed the secret of it. I will admit that you have ruined our game here, but you don't suppose that you are going to live to enjoy telling about it, do you?" "Oh, I don't know. I expect to live a long while, Cap Roche. I reckon you think as much of your life as I do of mine. If you should kill me you know very well that you would not live long after doing it. Your friends would never get a chance to do you a good turn, for you would never fall into the hands of the minions of the law. The only chance you have got is to make a deal that suits me. If you don't want to do that, do as you please." Cap Roche got up and began pacing the rocky floor of the cave. His uneasiness made his men feel in anything but a pleasant frame of mind. Suddenly he paused in front of Wild and said: "Let's hear your proposition." "I would much rather you would make one," was the calm reply. "Could you guarantee me three days to get away from Silver Bend if I agreed to let you go by paying the toll?" "Yes, I could do that, I suppose." "Well, I'll think it over." "You had better think quickly then." Cap Roche scowled. "See here!" he exclaimed, turning to Hop and quickly severing his bonds. "You go and tell Young Wild West's partners that I want all the money they can rake up, and as soon as you bring it to me you can all go free. They are to fetch no one here, though. If they do I will kill Young Wild West, and then take the chances of a siege in the cave." CHAPTER XIII. THE CLEVER CHINAMAN AT WORK. Hop no sooner had his hands free than he said: "You wantee me tellee lat ley mustee git tee velly muchee money, and len you lettee Young Wild West go?"