to hear that. I had an idea that we could have a
little excitement hunting out the gang. If there is no gang there we
will be disappointed."

All three of the cowboys looked at him sharply.

It was evident that they did not know just what to make of the boy.

They swung themselves on their horses, however, and started to ride off.

"Say!" said Wild, calling out loudly to them. "If you happen to run
across any outlaws in Forbidden Pass just tell them that Young Wild West
is looking for them. Don't forget that, will you?"

One of the cowboys gave a reply that was not quite intelligible, but as
there was an oath attached to it, our hero knew that it was not
complimentary to him.

He did not stop them, however, and they rode away straight for the
narrow pass at the other side of the pleasant little valley the camp was
located in.

Not until they saw the three men disappear in the pass did our friends
go into the saloon.

But let us follow the cowboys and find out something more about them.

When our hero had said that they might belong to the outlaws of
Forbidden Pass he had hit the nail right on the head.

The fact was that there was a gang of eighteen villains located in the
pass, and these three had been picked by the leader to ride to Big
Bonanza for the sole purpose of leading the miners to believe that there
was no longer any danger for travelers to go through that way when they
wanted to go to Silver Bend.

During the time the trio was in the saloon they had been talking in this
way, and they had partly made Hoker, the proprietor, believe that there
was something in what they said.

The man Wild had treated so roughly bore the name of Chuck Snivel, and
he was a sort of lieutenant of the band.

The leader of the outlaws was a scheming man of a fair education, who
was called Cap Roche.

This villain owned a store in Silver Bend and was also the postmaster
there.

He divided his time with his lawless band and the store, and, being well
thought of in the mining camp, he had all the chance in the world to
pursue his villainy and profit greatly from it.

As Chuck Snivel and his two companions entered the pass they turned and
took one last look at Young Wild West and his partners.

"I reckon there's trouble ahead, fellers," the lieutenant of the outlaw
band observed. "That boy is about ther worst one I ever had tackle me;
an' ther others is putty nigh as bad, no doubt. It sorter strikes me
that they'r