"They must have followed you from Oreville. h.e.l.lo, 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, ma.s.sa!" 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, ma.s.sa!"

"You black hound!" said Roderick hoa.r.s.ely. "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, ma.s.sa."

"Is the boy these men captured inside?"

"Yes, ma.s.sa."

"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 proceeded to unlock the door.

"Go and call the boy!" said Fred.

Caesar disappeared within the cavern, and soon emerged with Rodney following him.

"Are you unhurt?" asked Fred anxiously.

"Yes, and overjoyed to see you. How came you here?"

"We followed the n.i.g.g.e.r from Oreville."

What happened afterwards Rodney did not need to inquire, for the two outstretched figures, stiffening in death, revealed it to him.

"They are the Dixon brothers, are they not?" asked Fred, turning to Caesar.

"Yes, ma.s.sa."

"Then we are ent.i.tled to a thousand dollars each for their capture. I have never before shed blood, but I don't regret ending the career of these scoundrels."

Half an hour later the two outlaws were dead and Rodney and his friends were on their way back to Oreville.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI.

THE RODNEY MINE.

Rodney was received by Jefferson Pettigrew with open arms.

"Welcome home, boy!" he said. "I was very much worried about you."

"I was rather uneasy about myself," returned Rodney.

"Well, it's all over, and all's well that ends well. You are free and there has been no money paid out. Fred and Otto have done a good thing in ridding the world of the notorious Dixon brothers. They will be well paid, for I understand there is a standing reward of one thousand dollars for each of them dead or alive. I don't know but you ought to have a share of this, for it was through you that the outlaws were trapped."

"No, Mr. Pettigrew, they are welcome to the reward. If I am not mistaken I shall make a good deal more out of it than they."

"What do you mean?"

Upon this Rodney told the story of what he had seen in the cavern.

"When I said I, I meant we, Mr. Pettigrew. I think if the gold there is as plentiful as I think it is we shall do well to commence working it."

"It is yours, Rodney, by right of first discovery."

"I prefer that you should share it with me."