"General Store,"

"Silver Bend, Nev."

"What do you think of that?" he asked, holding the barrel-head so his companions could read it. "I reckon we know where the material to make the sign came from now."

"Great gimlets!" exclaimed Cheyenne Charlie. "If you hadn't seen Roche go inter ther cave last night you would know now that he was connected with ther outlaws. This is what I calls great!"

"Well, I'll just put the sign up again," said our hero, after a moment of thought. "But I'll put it so the back part can be read. It may make Cap Roche wonder a little, and if anybody else, not connected with his gang, sees it they may do a little studying and wondering."

He soon knocked the nails out, and then he lost no time in nailing the sign to the tree in the manner he had proposed to do.

"There you are!" he said. "You can't see the words as plainly as you could the others; but I reckon they can be read all right, if one takes the trouble to get up a little close to the tree."

"I reckon if any one comes this way they'll notice it quick enough," the scout declared.

As they intended to go no further, they simply took a look at the trail that came around the mountain at that point and then continued on toward the southwest.

"There's the way to Silver Bend," said Wild. "I reckon we'll go through there when we get done with Forbidden Pa.s.s."

"That's right, Wild," Arietta spoke up. "We will need something from the general store that can't be bought in Big Bonanza."

They all laughed at this, and then, mounting their horses, turned and rode back into the narrow pa.s.s.

The mile to the spot where the secret entrance to the cave had been discovered by our hero the night before was soon made, and then they came to a halt.

Wild was just going to dismount to make an examination when a revolver shot sounded and his hat was knocked off his head.

The next instant fully a dozen came down the rocky side of the pa.s.s and confronted them with drawn revolvers.

"Hands up--everybody!" called out one of them, who was easily recognized as Chuck Snivel, the cowboy.

Crack--crack!

Charlie fired two shots in quick succession, and then urged the girls to flee.

Wild saw that nearly all the men were pointing their weapons at him, so he thought it best to obey the command.

He seemed to be the one they wanted, and he felt that one hostile word from him would insure his death.

Two of the outlaws had dropped when the scout fired, but the others were so close upon them that Wild was seized and pulled from his horse in less than a second, almost.

The young deadshot struck at them with his clenched fists and made it decidedly unpleasant for them.

But he knew he could not get away, and he was simply doing this to give his companions a chance.

They all took advantage of it but one, and that was Arietta.

"I reckon you'll pay toll fur coming through Forbidden Pa.s.s, Young Wild West!" one of the villains exclaimed. "Hold him tight, boys! I'm glad yer didn't kill him when that shot was fired at him. I told Chuck not ter do it. Ther captain wants him alive. Git ther gal, too! This is what I call collectin' toll, all right!"

Arietta's horse had been seized by the bit, and a ruffianly fellow stood holding him with one hand, while his other held a revolver that was pointed at the girl's breast.

The rest of the party had succeeded in getting around a bend, but Wild knew they would not go very far.

But before they had time to get back and do anything both he and Arietta were dragged up close to what seemed to be the rocky wall of the cliff.

Then the curtain rolled up, and in they went, the outlaws following with those who had fallen and the horses.

It was all done so quickly that our hero found himself in the darkness before he fairly realized what had happened.

Arietta uttered a scream as she was hurried into the mouth of the hidden cave, but a hand was quickly placed over her mouth, and that ended any further chance to let Charlie and the rest know where they were being carried.

Wild's weapons were taken from him while he was being dragged into the cave, and it was a very rough handling that he received.

But he knew how useless it was, so he did no further struggling.

The fact that the rest had succeeded in getting away was a little consolation, for that meant that they would come back and effect a rescue.

Our hero placed the utmost dependence on Charlie and Jim, for they had never failed him yet.

In through the short pa.s.sage the outlaws took them, and then into the big cave.

They paused here long enough to bind the boy's hands and then Chuck Snivel, who was in command, said:

"Outside into the hole with him, boys. Tie him to the post until Cap comes. We'll keep the girl here. I reckon we'll collect the toll all right."

"It will be a dear toll, too," spoke up the man who had cautioned him not to kill the boy. "Two of us went under, I s'pose you know."

"An' no amount of money will bring 'em back ter life," chimed in another.

"There'll be a lot more of you go under before you collect your toll!"

exclaimed Young Wild West, who had now fully recovered from the surprise he had been treated to. "Just wait!"

"That's all right, boy," Chuck Snivel answered, "You know how I feel toward you, I reckon. You don't have no idea that you're ever goin' ter git away from here alive, do yer?"

"I haven't the least doubt but that I will," was the calm retort.

"Well, jest see how mistaken you'll be. I'm goin' ter be ther one what will kill yer! Do yer understand that?"

CHAPTER IX.

ARIETTA ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.

At a word from Snivel Young Wild West was dragged along through the big cave to a place that was almost directly opposite to the entrance.

The light that was admitted through the cracks in the front was sufficient for our hero to see that it was another pa.s.sage that he was being taken to.

He had heard the villain in command of the men say that he was to be taken outside and put in the hole until the leader came, but just what that meant he did not know.

He was destined to find out very soon, however, for the pa.s.sage did not extend many feet.