"All right," the scout said, "Hop, you jest show us where yer got up there, an' me an' Jim will go up an' take a look."

He quickly showed them, and then Charlie and Jim at once began to ascend.

Arietta promptly followed them.

"Hop, you stay here with the girls till we come back," she said, "Keep a watch, and if anything happens call out to us."

"Allee light, Missy Alietta," he answered, though he would have much liked to go up with them, since it was he who had made the important discovery.

Young Wild West's two partners and Arietta were soon out of sight.

Anna and Eloise watched them until they disappeared, and they continued to look where they had last seen them.

If they had only looked the other way they might have saved themselves a lot of trouble.

Or if Hop had kept a watch, as Arietta told him to, things would surely have turned out differently.

It so happened that Cap Roche had changed his mind about waiting until after the hour of noon before paying a visit to the cave, and he was riding up the pa.s.s in company with one of his men at that very moment.

In watching the climbers the two girls had exposed themselves to the view of any one approaching, and when Cap Roche and his man suddenly came in sight of the two so near the hidden cave they were astonished.

One of the cowboys who had seen our friends when they came to Big Bonanza was his companion, and he was not long in recognizing Anna and Eloise.

"Cap," he whispered, "they belong to Young Wild West's crowd. I wonder what they kin he doin' here?"

"Is that so?" queried the leader. "Well, I'll soon find out what they are doing here. I reckon we had better catch them and take them in the cave. That will be a bold stroke, I think. The chances are that Young Wild West is around here somewhere."

They dismounted and moved cautiously toward the girls.

When they got directly in front of the cave they were astonished to see the bodies of two of their men lying there.

The eyes of the leader flashed dangerously.

"Young Wild West has been at work, I reckon!" he exclaimed, in a low voice. "Come on! We had better go in first and see if everything is all right there."

It was at that moment that the curtain rolled up, for the man on watch had seen them.

They hurried to him and learned the situation, as far as the man knew it.

But the fact that Young Wild West was a prisoner so elated the villainous leader of the outlaw gang that he felt like giving a shout of joy.

He restrained himself, however, and then quickly made up his mind to capture the two girls outside.

Another man who was inside the cave was called, and then the four set out to carry out their foul purpose.

As they crept nearer to the unsuspecting girls, who were now talking in whispers and waiting patiently for the return of their companions, they found that there was a Chinaman with them.

"Catch all three of them, and don't let them have a chance to utter a cry," was the order from Cap Roche.

Stealthily the four villains crept upon the unsuspecting ones, and two minutes later all three of them were struggling in the grasp of the outlaws.

Though it had been planned quickly, it was well done, and, unable to make an outcry, Hop and the two girls were carried bodily into the cave.

A whistle brought half dozen to their a.s.sistance, and then the prisoners were bound and told to be silent.

"If you scream it will do no good, for if your friends start to come in here they will be shot down like wolves!" said Cap Roche, smiling fiendishly. "The best thing you can do is to take it easy."

Having said this, he turned to his men and ordered that the two bodies be brought in.

This was done, though those who did it were very cautious in their movements, since they expected to be shot down at any moment.

Much relieved, the outlaws carried the bodies through the cave to the hole outside.

"Now," said the leader, "just tie the prisoners to the table."

This was soon done, Hop pleading to be released in vain.

"Go and fetch Young Wild West here," said Roche. "We will have them all together while I talk to them."

Chuck Snivel hastened to do the bidding of his boss.

He went out to the post and began untying the captive boy.

"Cap Roche has got here, an' he wants ter see yer, Young Wild West," he said.

"All right," answered the boy, not knowing whether to believe him or not. "He'll find that I am all right, I reckon."

His ankles being untied, Wild walked along readily.

The captain was standing near the table waiting for him.

When Wild saw Anna, Eloise and Hop prisoners there he could scarcely believe his eyes.

Things were surely getting worse, instead of better, he thought.

But he did not let the captives think that he was anything like discouraged over the prospect.

"How are you, Mr. Roche?" he said, coolly. "How is business over at the store and post office?"

The villain smiled at this.

"You're a pretty cool one, I must say," he retorted. "I suppose it was you who turned the sign over?"

"Yes; I thought I would let travelers know that you were one of the outlaws who demanded toll from those who pa.s.s this way."

"Well, I hardly think your plan worked, then, for I took the trouble to right the sign a little while ago. Well, what do you think of this business, anyhow? Sorry you came to Forbidden Pa.s.s, are you not?"

"Oh, no. This is pretty bad for me just now. But it won't last very long. If you want to save trouble you had better release me, and the others you have got here, and then light out somewhere. If you don't you will only be sorry for it. You think you have got the best of me now, but in a short time you will find out that it will be just the other way. You don't suppose that I came here without knowing just what I was doing, do you?"