he rocks, taking care
to remain in the shadow. More than once he was afraid one or another of
the men would start to investigate the surroundings and that he would be
discovered.

"I wish they would go to sleep," he said to himself. "Then I might get a
chance to slip past them and their horses."

With great impatience he watched the men finish up their supper, get out
their pipes, and fall to smoking. In the meantime the horses had been
led to the opposite side of the cave and fastened to the rocks.

As Joe waited for a chance to get away he wondered what Darry and old
Benson were doing. More than likely they were looking for him. But were
they in that other cave, at the narrow passageway, or did the old scout
know of this second cave and the secret entrance to it?

"If Benson leads the way around to here there may be trouble," he mused.
"It would be better if I could get out and head him off. But if I do get
out, how shall I turn to find the trail we were pursuing? In this
darkness a fellow couldn't see his hand before his face."

At last Fetter threw himself down on a blanket to rest, leaving Gilroy
and Potts still conversing earnestly by the fire. The two desperadoes
talked in a low tone, so that Joe now caught but little of what was
said.

The backs of both men were turned toward the side of the cave where Joe
was in hiding; and, plucking up courage, the youth started forward on
tiptoe, bent upon getting out of the cave before the men should make
some move which would expose him.

Step by step he advanced, until he reached a point where he was within a
dozen feet of Gilroy and almost as close to Potts. He hardly dared to
breathe, and his heart thumped madly beneath his jacket. But the men
continued to smoke and talk, unconscious of his proximity.

At the entrance to the cave the rocks were somewhat rough and the mist
had made them slippery. Joe was crawling forward rapidly, when one foot
slipped, and he pitched headlong, making considerable noise.

"What was that?" cried Matt Gilroy, and leaped to his feet. He had been
gazing into the fire, and for the moment could make out little in the
darkness.

"I don't know," returned Nat Potts. "Something moving around out there,
I think." And the younger man reached for his pistol, which still
remained in his belt.

As rapidly as he could Joe sprang to his feet. A good bit of his wind
had been knocked out of him, but he felt that he must not delay, and he
ran fo