CHAPTER V.CAP ROCHE MEETS YOUNG WILD WEST.
Chuck Snivel was not long in telling Cap Roche all that had taken place over in Big Bonanza.
The face of the leader of the outlaws wore a troubled look as he listened, and when the man was through he shook his head and said:
"I reckon I'll have to go over and have a look at this dangerous boy, boys. I have heard of him, and I have reason to believe that he is a hard one to beat. Though he is mighty young, he has spent his time looking for trouble ever since he was big enough to shoot a gun, and he has had so much luck that I suppose now he thinks that he is invincible."
"He's a regular terror, Cap," spoke up Bob. "I know what I'm talkin' about. I've seen him, an' I've seen what he could do. He's jest as cool as a chunk of ice, an' yer can't no more scare him than yer kin a mad grizzly. If he's after us you kin bet that he'll git us, unless he's catched afore he gits a good start on."
"Well, I reckon he'll have the hardest time of his life getting us, though," the leader answered. "But I'll ride over, anyhow and try and find out something. Told you to tell any outlaws you met that he was after them, eh, Chuck?"
"Yes; that's right, Cap."
"Well, we'll see about that. I won't be long in findin' out what he's up to. If he gets through Forbidden Pass without paying toll he's got to be a good one, that's all. His life will probably be the price demanded for toll, too. I reckon that's what I'll make it."
After a few minutes further conversation on the subject the leader of the gang, who was posing as an honest business man in Silver Bend, left the cave, leading his horse out under the curtain that was rolled up by one of the men for him.
He rode along in the direction of the little mining camp at an easy gait, and in a short time he reached the end of the pass.
He paused long enough to see that the sign he had himself painted was in place, and then he made for the saloon, never once thinking that there was any one so close by watching his movements.
Cap Roche was well known in Big Bonanza, and he was satisfied that no one dreamed that he was anything else but an honest man.
He made up his mind to tell the miners that he had decided to ride through the pass just for the purpose of finding out if the outlaws were still there.
"I'll have no trouble in making them think that it is safe to go through now," he muttered, as he rode up to the saloon.
Dismounting, he entered the shanty and found the biggest part of the population gathered there.
"Hello, boys!" he called out, familiarly. "How are you all? I took a notion to ride over to-night through Forbidden Pass. I did not let the notion get out of my head, and came right away. How is business, anyway?"
Several of the men hastened to shake hands with him, and soon a lively conversation was taking place.
"So yer come through ther pass, eh?" observed Hoker, after there came a lull. "A putty risky thing ter do, I reckon."
"Well, I don't know. You see, I have had the place watched pretty closely the last few days, and not the least sign of any one has been discovered there. I feel that the outlaws, if there were any there, have left for some other parts."
Just then Cap Roche happened to set eyes on Hop Wah, who was sitting at a table, showing half a dozen miners some tricks with a pack of cards.
"Hello! You've got a heathen here, eh?" he exclaimed. "When did he strike here!"
"Late this afternoon, Cap," answered Hoker. "He's a great Chinee, too. He's a sleight-of-hand feller, an' he kin handle dice an' cards any way he wants ter. A man don't stand no more show winnin' from him than he does walkin' on air."
"Ah! He must be a curious sort of a heathen, then. Did he come here alone?"
"Oh, no. He come here with Young Wild West. You've heard of him, I reckon?"
"Yes, I believe I have. A sort of dashing young fellow, who can shoot well, isn't he?"
"Well, I should say so! You oughter been here a couple of hours ago an' seen what he done ter three cowboys! He sartinly did take ther starch out of 'em in no time."
"Yes?" and the two-faced man arched his eyebrows and looked surprised. "I should like to get acquainted with the young fellow. Where is he stopping?"
"Right down below here. He carries a campin' outfit with him, an' he's got two young gals an' a young woman along, as well as his two pards an' this Chinee an' another one. Oh, Young Wild West is used ter goin' about, an' it don't 'pear ter make any difference ter him an' his friends whether there's a hotel ter put up at or not. They didn't even ask me if I could accommodate 'em."
Hoker shook his head, as though he felt that he had been slighted somewhat.
But Cap Roche only smiled.
"I reckon they could tell by the size of your shanty that there wasn't much chance of getting accommodated here," he said. "I don't wonder that they didn't ask you. Why don't you put up a bigger shanty, like we've got over at the Bend? This place is growing all the time, and the time will soon be here when you'll have the chance to fill a good-sized building with boarders. I reckon there's plenty of dust here that hasn't been dug out yet."
"There ain't no doubt about that, Cap," spoke up one of the miners. "This is goin' ter be one of ther best minin' camps in ther middle part of Nevada, an' there ain't no mistake on that. It's most placer minin' that we've been doin' here, 'cause we ain't got no machinery ter go down deep in ther ground. But that there's big deposits down under us there ain't no doubt. I've cleaned up a cool, thousand so fur this week, an' I've got two more days ter make almost another one. I'm goin' ter send my stuff over to ther Bend Saturday afternoon."
"By the long route, I suppose?" and Cap Roche smiled in a peculiar way.
"Yes; that's ther way ther wagons goes nowadays."
"Well, I'll guarantee that it will be safe to go through the pass, just the same."
"How is it that you are able to give such a guarantee as that, stranger?"
The voice came from the doorway, and, turning, Cap Roche saw a dashing-looking boy, with a wealth of chestnut hair hanging over his shoulders, standing there, looking at him.
The villain knew who it was without being told.
"Young Wild West, I reckon?" he said, coolly. "Come on in; don't stand there. I don't know just what kind of a guarantee I can give that this man's gold will go safely through the pass, but it is my opinion that there are no robbers there. That's why I spoke that way."
"Oh!"
Our hero walked in followed by his partners and John Sedgwick.
As the reader may judge, Wild had suspected the man the moment he saw him looking at the sign at the mouth of the pass.
When he heard Sedgwick say he was the storekeeper over in Silver Bend he did not alter his opinion, either.
Determined to find out more about the man, he had walked over to the saloon.
Cap Roche was talking when our friends got there, and as his back happened to be toward the door he did not see them until after the young deadshot spoke.
Wild knew that the only way to get anything out of the man would be first to anger him.
He had tried to do this, but apparently he had not succeeded.
The face of Roche wore, a smile as he came in, and, giving a nod, he said:
"I never saw you before, but I knew you right away. I am glad to meet you, Young Wild West."
"All right, Cap Roche. I am glad to meet you, too."
"Ah! You know me, then?"
"Well, Sedgwick told me who you were. We saw you looking at the sign over at the pass. Quite a sign, isn't it?"
"You saw me looking at it?" queried the man, showing just the least bit of uneasiness.
"Yes, we were over there when you came out. The man who painted the letters on the barrel-head is quite an artist, and he knows how to spell, all right. They say there is another sign at the other end of the pass."
"Yes, there's one just like it there," replied Roche. "I can't help looking at them every time I come through Forbidden Pass. To-night is the first time I have been through in a week or two, so I could not help looking to see if the signs were still in place. As you heard me say before you came in here, I am satisfied that there are no longer any outlaws hanging about the pass. I reckon they must have got disgusted with the lack of business and moved away."
"Maybe they did. But if they haven't moved away they will move before many hours, and you can bet all you're worth on that!"
"You are going after them, then?"
"Well, such work just suits me, and whenever we think we can do a community a good turn we always go ahead and do it. Outlaws don't like me, and I don't like outlaws. It is the same with my partners. Some might call us a little meddlesome sometimes, but it is a way we have got, and we simply can't help it. Are you going back through the pass to-night, Mr. Roche?"
"Why, yes. It is only ten miles from here to my store over in Silver Bend. That is no distance to make, you know."
"That's right. Well, if you happen to meet any of the outlaws while going through just tell them that we will be looking for them to-morrow."
A peculiar smile flitted across the features of Roche, but he quickly changed it and laughed lightly.
"All right, Young Wild West," he said. "If I happen to meet any of them I'll surely tell them what you say."