Young Wild West sized them up quickly and made up his mind that they were an honest lot, indeed. He had come in contact with so many rough characters that he had made it a point to read faces and study character that way. It was seldom that he made a mistake in his estimation of a man, either. The miners seemed very glad to know the dashing young deadshot and his friends, and after they had talked awhile they, turned to make their way to their shanties, so they might get their suppers. As our hero followed Sedgwick a little way from the camp his glance happened to turn toward the mouth of the narrow pass at the other side of the valley. "Where does that trail lend to, John?" he asked, pointing it out. "That?" the miner queried, as he shook his head. "That trail leads ter Silver Bend, which is another minin' camp a good deal bigger than this here one. It's only ten miles from here by goin' through that pass. But few as know about ther pass goes that way. They would rather go around about twenty-five miles, so they don't have ter go through it. They calls it 'Forbidden Pass,' yer know." "Forbidden Pass, eh?" Young Wild West looked interested. "Yes, that's it." "But what do they call it that for?" "Well, there's a certain gang what belongs ter Silver Bend what runs things their own way, an' they say that they've organized inter a gang of outlaws ter clean out them what travels through ther pass. They put up a sign at either end of ther pass, which is only about a mile an' a half long, ter let any one what kin read know that they're forbid ter go through. If they do go through they have ter git robbed; that's all. Ter save trouble an' money ther most of folks would rather go around ther other way, or else keep away from Silver Bend, that's all." "Well, that sounds pretty good, I think, Sedgwick. I reckon I'll have to go through that pass, just to see what will happen." "I knowed you would say that, Wild. But if I was you I wouldn't bother about it. They're a bad lot, an' no mistake--ther men what runs things in that pass. They say there's about twenty of 'em, an' that ther most of 'em is tough cowboys what have been forced ter light out fur stealin' cattle an' sich like. Though there ain't any doubt that some of 'em lives right in Silver Bend, no one knows who they are. They're a mighty bad lot, an' since there ain't no chance of catchin' 'em, on account of ther many caves what's along on either side of ther pass, they've been doin' business there ever since we opened up ther camp, here, an' a mighty good business they've done, too." "That seems a little strange," and our hero shook his head. "What sort of people are they over in Silver Bend?" "Oh, about ther same as anywheres else, I s'pose. But I've heard say that it's ther fault of them what's in charge of affairs over there. It might be that some of 'em is in with ther outlaws of ther Forbidden Pass."