They plunged into the thicket for their horses, and when they came out again Murray and Steve had disappeared.
"Gone, have they?" said Bill. "And we don't know any more about 'em than we did before. What'll Captain Skinner say?"
"What'll we say to him? That's what beats me. And to the boys? I don't keer to tell 'em we was whipped in a minute and tied up by an old man, a boy, two girl squaws, and a redskin."
It was the truth, however, and the three miners rode away up the pass in a decidedly uncomfortable frame of mind.
Murray had beckoned Steve to follow him, and they had slipped away among the rocks and bushes, but not too far to see what became of the three miners.
"They might have kept their word, Steve, and they might not. We were at their mercy, standing out there. They could have shot us from the cover."
"Oh, they are white men--not Indians. They never would do such a thing as that!"
"Wouldn't they! Didn't you hear him confess that they were trying to steal your mine? And didn't he say they were robbers, running away with stolen gold? Murderers, too? That's the kind of white men that stir up nine-tenths of all the troubles with the Indians. Let alone the Apaches: that tribe never did keep a treaty."
"The one we saw to-day looked like a Lipan."
"So he did, and he stood right up for the girls. He's a brave fellow. And, Steve, one of those young squaws was no more an Indian than you or I be. It makes my heart sore and sick to think of it. A fine young girl like that, with such an awful life before her!"
"The other one was bright and pretty, too, and she can use her bow and arrows."
"Full-blooded Indian. As full of fight as a wild-cat, and twice as dangerous."
"Now, Murray, what do you think we'd better do?"
"Do? I wish I could say. My head's all in a whirl somehow. I want a chance to do some thinking."
"Not if we keep right on after the Apaches. I'll tell you what, Steve, my mind won't be easy till I've had another look at the ledge. I want to know what they've done."
"The Buckhorn Mine? I'd like to see it, too."
"Then we'll let their outfit go by us, and ride straight back to it. Might as well save time and follow those fellows up the pass. Plenty of hiding-places."
It was a bold thing to do, but they did it, and they were lying safely in a deep ravine that led out of the pass, a few hours later, when the "mining outfit" slowly trundled on its downward way.