“I’m sure I’ve never been here before.”

“And I’m sure ye have.  This is the path that Lone Wolf come along, and that ye was hunting for when ye got lost, and fell into the basement story of the mountain.”

“Oh, this is the pass, is it?” exclaimed the delighted lad; “then we have a clear road before us straight to New Boston.”

“Clear of all but one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“The red spalpeens; they’re always turning up when you don’t expect ’em, and don’t want ’em.”

“How far are we away from the cave, where we left the half dozen Apaches?”

“I don’t think it’s much more than a mile, though it may be a mile and a half.”

“Well, that’s very good; we’ve got that much start, and it’s worth having.”

“And there’s where ye’re mistook, as the gals used to obsarve when anybody tried to run down my beauty.  The path that we come along, ye’ll mind, makes many turns and twists, and the ind of it all is that it strikes the pass on the other side of the cave, and we’ve got to ride right by the spot which we lift.”

This was not cheering information, although, everything considered, the two had cause to congratulate themselves upon their extraordinary success up to this time.

The night was about gone, and, while their mustangs halted, they observed that it was growing light in the east.  They would be forced to ride through the dangerous territory by day, so that the risk of detection would be proportionately greater if their enemies should be in the vicinity.  Both the mustangs were fresh and vigorous, however, having enjoyed an unusually long rest, with plenty of food, and they were good for many hours of speed and endurance.  The one ridden by Fred had behaved in a very seemly fashion, and there was ground for the hope that he would keep up the line of conduct to the end.  Still there could be no certainty of what he would do in the presence of the Apaches.

“We’ll take it aisy,” said Mickey, as the two started off at an easy gallop.  “We’ll not be afther putting ’em to a run till we have to do the same, so that when there’s naad for their spaad, we shall have it at command.”  This prudent suggestion was carried out.  Their horses dropped into a sweeping gallop that was as easy as an ordinary walk.  The riders kept their senses awake, talking only a little, and then in guarded voices.

As they galloped along the sun rose, and the day promised to be as warm and pleasant as those which had preceded it.  The sky was obscured only by a few fleecy clouds, while the deep blue beyond was as beautiful as that of Italy.  Drawing near the cave in the mountain, they pulled their horses down to a walk and carefully guided them into the softest places, so as to make the noise of their hoofs as slight as possible.  Nothing occurred until they were a short distance beyond the dangerous spot, when Mickey spoke.

“Do you obsarve that stream there?” he asked, pointing to a rather deep brook which ran across the pass, and lost itself in the rocks upon the opposite side.  “Well, that’s the water that comes through the cave over the cascade, and that I expicted to swim out by, and I’m going to find out what me chances were.”