must be kept a dead secret, else it'll ruin my character on the
frontiers. We must surround it wi' mystery, my boy, till all is safe.
But I didn't come up here to enjoy an evenin's conversation. You're not
safe where you are, Leather. They'll be scourin' all round for you long
before sun-up, so I must putt you where you'll be able to look on an'
grin at them."

"Where will that be?" asked Leather, with some curiosity.

"You know the cliff about five hundred feet high that rises just over on
the other side o' the valley--where the water-shoot comes down?"

"Ay, it's likely I do, for I've seen it every mornin' for months past."

"An' you remember the hole near the top o' the cliff?"

"Yes--that looks about the size of a crow?"

"Whatever it looks like it's three times the size of a man, an' it's the
mouth of a cave," returned the scout. "Now, I'll lead you to the track
that'll let you up to that cave. It's a splendid place, full of all
sorts o' holes an' places where a man couldn't find you even if he
know'd you was there. Once up, you may sit down, smoke your pipe in the
mouth o' the cave, an' enjoy yourself lookin' on at the hunt arter
yourself. Here's a bit o' chuck I've brought to keep you from wearyin',
for they may keep it up all day. When all danger is past I'll come up
for ye. You needn't show more o' yourself, however, than the top o'
your head. A man can never be over-cautious when he's bein' hunted
down. An' mind, don't leave the place till I come for you."

Handing a cold roast fowl and a loaf to his companion, the scout got up
and led him away to the spot which he had just described. It was by
that time quite dark, but as Hunky Ben knew every inch of the ground he
glided along almost as quickly as if it had been broad day, followed,
with some difficulty, by poor Leather, who was still in a state of great
prostration, partly because of his injury and partly in consequence of
his previous dissipation. As the place, however, was not much more than
half-a-mile distant his powers of endurance were not much tried. The
scout led him across the narrow valley just above the outlaws' cave, and
then, entering a steep rocky defile, he began to ascend a place that was
more suitable for goats than men. After half-an-hour of upward toil
they reached a plateau where the track--if it may be so styled--seemed
to run in a zig-zag manner until it reached a small hole in the solid
rock. Through this they ent