"Caesar," said Roderick, "did you ever see those men before?"

"No, massa."

"They must have followed you from Oreville. Hello, you two!" he added
striding towards the miners. "What do you want here?"

Fred and Otto had accomplished their object in ascertaining the place
where Rodney was confined, and no longer cared for concealment.

"None of your business!" retorted Fred independently. "The place is as
free to us as to you."

"Are you spies?"

"I don't intend to answer any of your questions."

"Clear out of here!" commanded Roderick in a tone of authority.

"Suppose we don't?"

Roderick was a man of quick temper, and had never been in the habit of
curbing it. He was provoked by the independent tone of the speaker, and
without pausing to think of the imprudence of his actions, he raised his
rifle and pointing at Fred shot him in the left arm.

The two miners were both armed, and were not slow in accepting the
challenge. Simultaneously they raised their rifles and fired at the two
men. The result was that both fell seriously wounded and Caesar set up a
howl of dismay, not so much for his masters as from alarm for himself.

Fred and Otto came forward, and stood looking down upon the outlaws, who
were in the agonies of death.

"It was our lives or theirs," said Fred coolly, for he had been long
enough in Montana to become used to scenes of bloodshed.

"Yes," answered Otto. "I think these two men are the notorious Dixon
brothers who are credited with a large number of murders. The country
will be well rid of them."

Roderick turned his glazing eyes upon the tall miner. "I wish I had
killed you," he muttered.

"No doubt you do. It wouldn't have been your first murder."

"Don't kill me, massa!" pleaded Caesar in tones of piteous entreaty.

"I don't know," answered Fred. "That depends on yourself. If you obey us
strictly we will spare you."

"Try me, massa!"

"You black hound!" said Roderick hoarsely. "If I were not disabled I'd
kill you myself."

Here was a new danger for poor Caesar, for he knew Roderick's fierce
temper.

"Don't let him kill me!" he exclaimed, affrighted.

"He shall do you no harm. Will you obey me?"

"Tell me what you want, massa."

"Is the boy these men captured inside?"

"Yes, massa."

"Open the cave, then. We want him."

"Don't do it," said Roderick, but Caesar saw at a glance that his old
master, of whom he stood in wholesome fear, was unable to harm him, and
he p