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

In through the short passage 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 passage 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 passage did not extend many feet.

A sharp turn in it and he saw a natural hollow, with steep walls of rock on either side, right before him.

It looked very much like the pass, but he knew it could not be, for they would not take him out there again.

Another thing, the end of the opening, or hole, as it might be called, was but fifty yards away.

Some parts of this wall was very steep, and others looked as though it could be climbed.

On one side, not far from the passage he was taken from, was a stout post that was planted firmly in the ground.

To this Wild was taken, and being placed in an upright position, with his back to it, he was firmly tied to the post.

"There!" exclaimed Chuck Snivel, fiendishly. "I reckon you'll stay there just as long as we want yer to, Young Wild West."

"All right," was the calm rejoinder. "I hope you won't want me to stay here very long. I don't like this kind of business."

Some of the outlaws laughed, while others glared at him savagely.

His style did not exactly suit them. He was too cool by far.

Then, again, two of their number had fallen during the struggle to capture the brave boy and his sweetheart, and that made them feel all the more ugly toward him.

"You was goin' through ther pass an' yer wasn't goin' ter pay no toll, Young Wild West!" exclaimed Snivel, after a short pause. "I reckon yer found out your mistake all right. We seen yer when yer went through, an' we jest got ready fur yer when yer come back. Yer couldn't have stopped in a better place, fur ye was right in front of our cave. Yer jest walked right inter ther trap we had set fur yer."

"That's all right," Wild answered, coolly. "You have won the first trick in the game, that isn't going to count for much. I've been in just such fixes as this, and I have always got out of them. You couldn't scare me if you tried for a week!"

"You talk it nice; but yer will change your tune afore you're many hours older. Thought it was fine fun ter make me dance last night, didn't yer? Oh, but I'm gittin' square, all right."

"You'll wish you had never met me before I am done with you."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the villain. "Hear him talk, boys! He acts jest as though he ain't no prisoner. He's got nerve enough fur ten, I reckon."

"I reckon it's his bluff that's always carried him through," remarked one of the outlaws, as he looked at the helpless boy and nodded. "But there's always a time, yer know. Young Wild West has gone ther length of his rope!"

"I reckon you'll find that my rope is a great deal longer than you think," Wild answered, thinking it good policy to keep in conversation with them, as the more time Charlie and Jim had to figure out a way of helping him the better it would be.

"Ha, ha, ha!"

Again Snivel laughed.

It was evident that he was very sure that it was all up with Young Wild West.

The success the outlaws had met with since they had established their quarters in the cave no doubt made them confident that they could not be ousted.

"Boys," said Snivel, as he turned from our hero, evidently satisfied that he could gain nothing by trying to frighten him, "I reckon you had better bury ther bodies of Pete an' Simon. I don't know as there's any use in waitin' fur Cap ter come. He won't be here till some time after dinner, he said when he went away last night. He's tryin' ter git ther stage coach ter run through ther pass ag'in, an' if it does we'll let it go fur ther first two or three trips, an' then when they've got a good pile aboard we're goin' ter nab on it. Cap knows his business, all right; an' we make more by his bein' away than we do when he's here."

"That's right," answered the man, who seemed to have more to say than any of the rest. "I reckon we'll go ahead with our funeral. I'll take what they've got on 'em, an' you kin put in ther box inside, so ther boss kin take charge of it. I know they both must have had a few dollars when this unexpected business happened. This are too bad! It's ther first loss we've met with since we've been banded together."

"That's right, Aleck," replied Snivel. "You go ahead. Joe an' Dick kin go ahead an' dig ther grave that'll answer fur ther pair of 'em. Poor fellers! They never knowed what struck 'em, fur ther galoots what fired them shots aimed 'em mighty straight, an' there was no sufferin' done. I'm mighty glad I wasn't in ther way of one of them bullets."

"Well, we all are, as fur as that goes. But it's a shame that they had ter be snuffed out that way."

He went away to attend to the work assigned him, as did the others who had been named.

Then Snivel walked back into the cave, leaving Wild to his own reflections.

The villain found Arietta sitting on a box, over which some skins had been thrown to make it comfortable.

The girl had not been tied, the villains evidently thinking that there was no danger of her escaping, as she was but a girl.

But she was being closely watched, just the same, for those left to guard her could not help noticing that she was not afraid.

"Well, miss," said Snivel, apologetically, "I'm mighty sorry ter see you in such a fix as this. What did yer want ter come through Forbidden Pass fur, anyhow? Didn't yer read ther sign?"

"I wanted to come through, so I could pay the toll, and I will do it when the proper time comes," was the reply in a steady voice.

"You pay ther toll! Why, have yer got a big pile of money?"

"Not here. But I think I can pay it, though."

"Where is your money, gal?"

The lieutenant of the outlaw band became interested right away.

"I don't know as I have got to tell you where my money is," replied Arietta, coolly. "You don't suppose it is anywhere near here, do you? I wouldn't be wise if I carried a big pile of money around with me, would I?"

"Well, I don't know about that part of it. But it would be all ther better fur us, I reckon," and the man grinned, as though he thought he had got off a pretty good joke. "But jest tell me how yer expect ter pay ther toll?"

"I'll show you that when the time comes," was the reply.

"But can't yer tell me now?"

"No, because I don't just know how I am going to pay it. But I am going to do it, just the same."

"I s'pose yer mean that you're goin' ter pay somethin' ter be let go free," observed the villain, after thinking a minute or two. "Well, it will depend on what ther captain says about you gittin' away. I don't hardly think he'll be in favor of lettin' you go, no matter how much yer agree ter pay."

"Oh, I will get away as soon as Young Wild West gets out of here. He won't be long in finding a way to release me."

"Miss, if you're dependin' on anything like that ter happen jest git it off your mind. Young Wild West ain't never goin' ter git out of here alive. I've swore that I'll kill him; an' ther boss of our gang wouldn't think of lettin' him live, nohow. Jest make up your mind that ther boys has got ter die, an' that you're likely ter go ther same way yourself. There's nothin' like resignin' yourself to your fate, yer know."

"Oh, is that so?"

Arietta looked at him with flashing eyes.

Her defiant way struck Snivel as something wonderful, coming from a defenseless girl, as it did.

He did not know that she had a six-shooter in the bosom of her dress, which had been overlooked when she was disarmed.

But Arietta always carried the weapon there.

It was of smaller calibre than the one she always carried at her belt, but it was deadly enough at short range.

The revolver had been given her by Young Wild West on her sixteenth birthday, and several times it had stood her in good stead.

At the very minute that Snivel was talking to her she was thinking of bringing the weapon into use.

Arietta had heard enough to make her believe that her dashing young lover was not to be harmed for a while, for she had been listening when the men were talking about Cap Roche, and she had not failed to make note of it when they said that he was not due at the cave until some time after the hour of noon.

Before Snivel came in from the rear entrance she had been carefully studying the cave, and she knew just the way to get out.

She thought that the quicker she did it the better it would be for both herself and Wild.

She determined that she would act right now.

"Can I have a drink of water?" she asked, as Snivel was about to pull up a stool near her.

"Sartin," was the reply. "I'll go an' fetch yer one right from ther spring."

There were only two men besides the lieutenant of the band in the cave just then, and they were back near the rear.

Snivel went and got a tin cup and as he turned his back to go and fetch the water Arietta arose and stepped lightly across the cave.

She had almost reached the passage that led out to the pass when one of the outlaws saw her and raised the alarm.

CHAPTER X.

"THAT MAKES FOUR OF YOU!"

As the outlaw's warning cry sounded through the cave Arietta gave a shout of defiance and darted into the passage.

Like Wild, she had seen the curtain lifted when she was carried into the cave, and she knew that curtain was not far away.

It was doubtful if she would be fired at by the villains, she thought, but there was really no telling, so she drew her revolver and looked over her shoulder as she ran.

Both the man who saw her when she was nearly out and the other villain were now running swiftly through the cave, and each of them had a drawn revolver.

Arietta ran as far as she could go, and then she came in contact with the painted curtain.

She did not know how to manipulate it, of course, so the best thing she could do was to reach for the bottom and lift it.

This she did, and, much to her joy, it came up easily.

A quick move and she had darted under it and was outside in the pass.

Then it was that she gave a cry of delight, for Cheyenne Charlie was right there to greet her.

The girl did not say a word, however, but motioned for the scout to get behind a rock that was close at hand.

She darted after him as he obeyed her, and then out came the foremost of the men who were chasing her.

Crack!

The scout fired without any hesitation and down went the villain in a heap.

But his action checked the others from coming out, and the curtain went down in a jiffy.

Arietta's action in lifting it had caused the log to fall and pull it up to its full height.

"That's putty good, I reckon," said Charlie, smiling grimly. "Is Wild all right, Arietta?"

"He is safe for the present, I think," was the girl's reply. "They are waiting for the captain to come. He won't be here until some time after dinner, so there is a good chance of saving Wild."

"If that's ther case, I reckon there'll he a good chance, fur ther captain will never git here!"

There was no mistaking the meaning of Cheyenne Charlie just then.

Cap Roche's life was surely in danger if he showed up in Forbidden Pass that day!

"Take him alive, Charlie," advised Arietta, "Where are Jim and the girls?"

"Right back there a little ways," was the reply. "But you jest leave it ter me ter settle with Cap Roche. I'll show ther two-faced galoot what's what!"

Arietta said no more, but hurried through the pass in the direction Charlie had indicated.

She found the rest waiting for her, for they had heard the shot, and had seen her with Charlie.

"Is Wild all right?" Dart asked, anxiously.

"Yes, for a while, anyhow," was the reply as Anna and Eloise both tried to embrace her at one time.

She quickly let them know the situation, and then she turned her attention to the spot where Charlie was in waiting for the outlaws to show themselves.

The scout's blood was up now, and she knew quite well that he would shoot the villains as fast as they showed themselves.

Ten minutes passed by, and no one showed up.

Charlie was waiting patiently, however.

He was confident that one of the outlaws would want to get out to see what had happened to the fellow that followed in pursuit of the escaping girl.

But Charlie did not know that the villains had a peephole in that cleverly contrived curtain, and that they had already looked through it and learned that their comrade was dead on the ground.

To say that the outlaws were enraged at what had happened would be putting it mildly.

The girls escape had happened so unexpectedly that they could hardly realize it, and then, right on the back of it, another man is shot!

"Chuck," said the man called Bob, "I reckon we're in fur it."

"Don't say that," was the retort. "Ain't we got Young Wild West hard an' fast?"

"Yes, an' we thought we had ther gal that way, too. But she ain't here now, is she?"

"Well, I wouldn't care two cents about her, if it wasn't that it was through her that Wally got shot."

"Poor Wally! An' jest as we was fillin' up ther grave of ther other two, too. Well, yer didn't finish their job, did yer?"

"No; when we heard ther hubbub inside we stopped an' run in."

"An' left Young Wild West out there alone, eh?"

"Yes; but he couldn't git away; you know that well enough."

"There ain't no tellin' what he might do."

Snivel hurried out of the rear of the cave.

But the prisoner was still there, tied to the post, just as he had been left.

The horses of the outlaws had been led out there, and they were cropping at some sparse grass that grew there.

As the sun did not get much of a chance at the bottom of the hole, as it was called by the outlaws, the vegetation there was scarce.

"So you're here yet, eh?" said Snivel, as he stepped up to the boy.

"Why, yes," was the reply. "You didn't think I was going to leave so soon, did you?"

"No, I didn't think so. But funny things is happenin' jest about now."

"What was the matter in the cave?"

Wild asked the question in an indifferent way, but he was really anxious to hear, for he had no idea that Arietta had made her escape.

He had heard the shot, too, and he was eager to find out what it all meant.

"Yer want ter know what was ther matter in ther cave, eh?" asked Snivel, looking at the boy and scowling. "Well, I don't know as it will do any hurt ter tell yer. Ther gal got away from us—that's what was ther matter."

"Is that so? Who fired the shot I heard?"

"One of your pards, I s'pose."

"Did it hit any one?"

"I reckon it did. Another of our men got laid out. Oh, this is only makin' it all ther worse fur you, Young Wild West. You don't stand no livin' show, so there's no use in thinkin' yer do."

"I wish Cap Roche would come, so I call find out my fate," said Wild, though he did not mean it.

The longer the leader of the outlaws stayed away the better were his chances of being rescued by his partners.

"How do you know that Cap Roche is ther one that's goin' ter settle about your fate, Young Wild West?"

"Why, I have heard you fellows talking about him."

"Yer did, eh? I reckon yer never heard none of us say any more than Cap. We didn't say that Cap Roche had anything ter do with our crowd."

"Well, I thought you did."

"I don't know as it makes any difference, though. You ain't never goin' away from here alive. Ther toll that you'll pay is your life, Young Wild West! Cap Roche will soon say that."

"Maybe he will, and maybe he won't," retorted our hero, as calmly as though he was simply talking business with a friend. "Cap Roche might take a notion to let me go. His business at the store in Silver Bend might require him to do so."

"I reckon he'd be a fool ter let yer go. Where would he land if he did?'

"Well, if he made a deal with me he might land all right."

Wild was adopting different tactics now. Anything to gain time, and he thought that he might get the men in the humor to make terms for his release.

Not that he meant to pay the "toll," as they called it; but if he could make them believe that he had a large sum of money at his command it might work all right.

The fact was that our hero had very little money on his person.

His experience had taught him not to carry much with him.

Therefore, he always kept the bulk of what he brought with him in a hidden pocket in his saddlebags.

Hop was the one who had taught him that this was the safest way, for road agents seldom took a notion to make a thorough search of a horseman's saddlebags.

"How much money have yet got with yer, Young Wild West?" Snivel asked.

"Not much. But I have plenty in the banks of Denver and Phoenix."

"Denver an' Phoenix is both a mighty good distance from here."

"I know that. But an order from me would fetch the money any time you went for it."

"That's so, too."

"And my word is worth as much as my money, I reckon!"

"I don't know about that. I wouldn't take ther word of any one. I don't think any one would tell ther truth in a case like this."

"Well, there is no use in flying, to make a deal with you, then. I'll wait till the captain comes, I reckon."

"He's ther one ter talk ter, anyhow."

It was just then that another shot sounded from the pass.

The next minute Bob came running out of the rear of the cave.

"Another man got his medicine, Chuck!" he exclaimed. "He would go out ter git ther body of Wally, an' he got shot down afore he could git hold of it!"

"That makes four of you!" said Young Wild West coolly gazing at the villains. "Where do you think you are coming out in this game?"

CHAPTER XI.

WHAT HOP WAH DID.

Though he had been told to remain with Wing and watch the camp, Hop grew so restless after our friends had been gone about half an hour that he decided to follow them and see if he could not assist in hunting down the outlaws.

He had heard enough of the conversation to make him understand just how the hidden cave was located, and he relied on his sleight-of-hand work to help him.

If there was anything that the Chinaman liked it was to do something that met with the approval of Young Wild West.

After he had once got it into his head that he wanted to go Hop grew very restless.

Finally he turned to the cook and said:

"Me go takee lillee walk thlough um pass, so be, my blother."

"Misler Wild say you, allee samee stay here, so be," was the reply.

"Lat allee light. But me 'flaid Misler Wild allee samee git tee in um tlouble; me wantee helpee out."

Wing did not care if he did go, for he thought he was perfectly able to take care of the camp.

So when Hop said he thought Wild might be in trouble he nodded and retorted:

"Allee light; my blother go if he wantee to. Me allee samee stay here, likee Misler Wild say."

"Lat light, my blother. You velly muchee goodee Chinee; but you no understand, likee me; me allee samee velly muchee smartee, allee samee my uncle in China."

"Um uncle in China allee samee dead; git tee head cuttee off for stealee pig!"

"Sh!" said Hop, holding up his hand. "My blother mustee not lettee Misler Charlie knowee lat."

"Me no care, so be. You allee samee foolee."

Wing acted as though he was disgusted, but a sorrowful look from his brother soon brought him around.

"Me no tellee Misler Charlie," he said.

"Allee light. Now me go to um saloon and git tee lillee dlop of tanglefoot; len me go and havee lillee look alound up Forbiddee Passee, so be."

Hop was not long in getting ready.

Without another word he set out for the saloon.

The miners were all at work by this time, so there was no one there but Hoker and the man he had to help him.

They were both busy cleaning up the place when the Chinaman entered, but they greeted him cordially.

"Where's Young Wild West?" asked Hoker, though he well knew that he had started out to go through Forbidden Pass.

"He takee lillee tlip to huntee uppee some outlaws, so be," answered the Chinaman. "Me likee havee lillee tanglefoot; len me go outee huntee, too, so be."

"Is that so? Well, I don't know how much of a hunter you are, but if yer are as good at it as yer are with ther cards you'll make out all right, I reckon."

"Lat light."

Hop got his drink, and then he had a flask filled with whisky for use later on.

"Now, len," said he, blandly, "me chuck dicee to see if me pay or you givee me um tanglefoot."

"No yer don't!" was the quick reply. "You fork over ther money. I ain't goin' inter no gamblin' game with you. You're too much fur me, an' I ain't ashamed ter own up ter it."

Hop grinned and paid the bill.

Then he put the flask in his pocket and set out for the pass.

He had heard Wild say that the spot where the hidden cave was located was only about a mile from the camp, so that made a nice, little walk for him.

The fact was that Hop did not mind walking, anyhow.

He was in the saddle so much that it was a relief to get the opportunity to walk around once in a while.

Reaching the pass, he took a good look at the sign and gave a nod of approval.

Hop had learned to read English pretty well, though he could not speak it with any great degree of accuracy.

But he did not want to do any better than what he did in that line, for his style just suited him.

"Make pay allee samee toll, so be," he said, musingly. "Whattee lat?"

That was just a little too much for him.

But he was not going to let it worry him any, so he started through the pass without any further delay.

The trail made by our friends was very plain in places, and Hop took notice of this fact.

He walked along leisurely, taking in all he saw, which was not a great deal, since there were nothing but cliffs and the blue sky above to be seen.

He kept right on until finally he rounded a turn in the pass and saw Jim Dart and the girls about a hundred yards ahead.

As they were gathered behind a big rock, as though hiding, he knew that something was wrong right away.

Hop came to a pause.

Though he wanted to know what was up, he felt that it would be best to go it alone, so he did not walk ahead and join them.

While he stood back close to the cliff a revolver shot rang out.

He saw Jim raise his head above the rock and take a quick look in the direction it came from, and then all was still.

It so happened that Hop had got there just in time to hear the shot that ended the career of the fourth outlaw.

The Chinaman did not know what it meant, so he looked for a way to get up close to Jim and the girls without being seen by them.

If he went on through the narrow defile he could not do it.

Then he looked up and, much to his satisfaction, he saw a place that could be climbed quite easily, he thought.

He decided to go on up, and then work his way along until he was directly above those in waiting.

Hop was quite agile for a Chinaman who did not like work a great deal.

He was soon ascending the craggy way, and in less than two minutes he was at the top of the cliff.

Once there he found that it was comparatively level, and he walked along fearlessly.

But he could not help noticing that there was a fissure similar to that which formed the pass on the other side, and, being curious to see what was down there, he made his way to the edge.

A smothered cry of astonishment came from the Chinaman's lips as he peered downward.

It was the "hole," as the outlaws termed it, that Hop was looking into, and there was Young Wild West, tied to the post, in plain view!

"Lat petty goodie—or petty bids, so be!" exclaimed Hop, under his breath, "Me finder Misler Wild petty quicken. But um bad Mexican mans goatee him, so be."

Keeping out of sight, he lay flat at the top of the cliff and saw the excited outlaws as they moved about in the hole below him.

The distance was about forty feet, but Hop soon discovered a way to get down, or nearly all the distance, anyhow.

But he did not intend to risk doing it just then.

The excited voices of the men came to his ears, and he was not long in making out that they were talking about a man that had just been shot as he went out to get the body of a comrade.

From his position he could see about all there was to be seen in the fissure.

There was the grave the villains had placed the two bodies in, and which they had started to fill.

He counted ten men there, too, and he shook his head when he found there were so many of them.

"Misler Wild allee samee in um bad box, so be," he muttered. "Me better go tell Misler Jim, so be."

Having decided upon this plan of action, he crawled away from the edge of the cliff and made his way down into the pass.

It was easier to get down than it was to come up, and once there he started boldly for Jim and the girls.

He was within twenty feet of them when Arietta turned and saw him.

"Here is Hop!" she exclaimed in a low voice. "Maybe he can help us out."

Jim brightened when he saw the clever Chinaman, for he knew very well that Hop had been of great value to them in such cases.

"Come here," he said, beckoning to him. "Don't make any noise, Hop."

"Me no makee noisee," was the reply. "Me knowee allee 'boutee; me just see Misler Wild. He tied to um post, and ten mans by him. Allee samee velly muchee bad workee."

"You saw Wild!" Arietta exclaimed, looking at the Chinaman in surprise.

"Lat allee samee light, Missy Alietta."

"Where did you see him?"

"Me go uppee lere, and me allee samee lookee down on um other side, so be."

"Great Scott!" cried Jim Dart. "Who would have thought of doing that? Hop, you are a dandy!"

"Me velly muchee smartee Chinee, so be," was the reply. "Where Misler Charlie? Me takee and showee where Misler Wild is velly muchee quicken, so be."

Jim gave a signal, which was answered right away by the scout, who was crouching behind a big boulder, right close to the curtained entrance of the cave.

The next minute Charlie was seen approaching them.

"Come on," said Jim. "Hop has seen Wild, and he wants to show us where he is."

CHAPTER XII.

THE OUTLAWS TAKE SOME MORE PRISONERS.

As soon as Hop had explained just how they could get up to the top of the ridge Cheyenne Charlie was eager to go.

"Ther gals kin go back ter Big Bonanza, I reckon," he said. "Then there won't be any danger of 'em gittin' hurt."

Anna and Eloise were perfectly willing to this, but Arietta shook her head.

"I am going to stay here till Wild is free," she declared.

The scout knew very well that there was no use in arguing the question with her. Arietta had a mind of her own, and the only one she would ever listen to was Young Wild West.

"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 pass 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 assistance, 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 pass 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 Pass, 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?"

"Well, you couldn't have known just what you were doing or this wouldn't have happened."

Roche motioned toward the prisoners.

"It was a poor way for you to win out, this letting us get you and those others, I think," he added.

"Well, of course, I did not expect anything like this to happen," Wild answered, coolly. "That was a pretty good scheme your men put through when they got me. But let me tell you that my two partners have gone to get a crowd of miners to come here and clean, you out. They know just how to get in, for they have seen the curtain raised in front of the opening that leads in here. But they knew all about that last night, for I followed you here and saw you come in. I told them all about it, and they know just what to do now."

Cap Roche looked uneasy.

He did not relish the idea of the miners of Big Bonanza finding out about the cave.

And he was now pretty certain that they would.

The fact that he was known to be the leader of the outlaws made it impossible for him to go back to Silver Bend, too.

Though he had the best of Young Wild West just then, he knew he was in a very bad box.

"You have done well, Young Wild West," he said, trying to appear cool. "You have done something that no one else has been able to do—you have found our cave and exposed the secret of it. I will admit that you have ruined our game here, but you don't suppose that you are going to live to enjoy telling about it, do you?"

"Oh, I don't know. I expect to live a long while, Cap Roche. I reckon you think as much of your life as I do of mine. If you should kill me you know very well that you would not live long after doing it. Your friends would never get a chance to do you a good turn, for you would never fall into the hands of the minions of the law. The only chance you have got is to make a deal that suits me. If you don't want to do that, do as you please."

Cap Roche got up and began pacing the rocky floor of the cave.

His uneasiness made his men feel in anything but a pleasant frame of mind.

Suddenly he paused in front of Wild and said:

"Let's hear your proposition."

"I would much rather you would make one," was the calm reply.

"Could you guarantee me three days to get away from Silver Bend if I agreed to let you go by paying the toll?"

"Yes, I could do that, I suppose."

"Well, I'll think it over."

"You had better think quickly then."

Cap Roche scowled.

"See here!" he exclaimed, turning to Hop and quickly severing his bonds. "You go and tell Young Wild West's partners that I want all the money they can rake up, and as soon as you bring it to me you can all go free. They are to fetch no one here, though. If they do I will kill Young Wild West, and then take the chances of a siege in the cave."

CHAPTER XIII.

THE CLEVER CHINAMAN AT WORK.

Hop no sooner had his hands free than he said:

"You wantee me tellee lat ley mustee git tee velly muchee money, and len you lettee Young Wild West go?"

"Yes, that's it. You seem to understand pretty well for a Chinee. You understood enough to clean me out of a couple of hundred dollars last night, too. I reckon you had better give me that money and all the rest you have, before you go on your errand."

"Me velly solly," declared Hop, acting as though he really felt bad over it, "but me leavee allee my money in um camp."

This was a fact, too, as all he had with him was about five dollars in silver.

"I reckon I had better go through you," said the leader of the outlaws.

Hop quickly produced what money he had, and then held up his arms to let the man make a search of his clothing.

Roche went through him and brought out as many as half a dozen packs of cards, a flask of whisky, several little vials containing liquids and powders, two or three oblong objects that looked like a lot of paper pressed together, some black-looking cigars, a dead mouse, some colored string, and a lot of other small things, too numerous to mention.

But there was no money to be found.

"That's a nice lot of trash fur a galoot ter have in his pockets," he declared, looking at the pile in disgust. "What are you doing with a dead mouse in your pockets?"

"Me feel lat me might git tee hungly some time, and len me have lillee bite to eatee," replied Hop, looking very innocent.

The outlaws grinned at this.

They had all heard that Chinamen liked to eat rats, so they were not surprised to hear that one ate mice.

Even Wild smiled at the way Hop was working it.

He now believed that the chances of getting free from the outlaws were improving, for Hop would be apt to manage it in some way.

"I'll tell you what you do," said Roche, as Hop proceeded to put the articles back where they had been taken from. "You get your money at the camp and bring that here, too."

Allee light, Misler Outlaw, replied Hop. "You will havee um cigar?"

He tendered one and, taking it, the outlaw looked at it suspiciously and then cut off the end with his bowie knife.

Hop lighted one, too, and then he stood still.

"Me allee samee forgittee whattee you say," he said, as he looked puzzled.

Cap Roche went over it again.

"Oh, allee light. Me understand."

The cigar he had given the villain was a good one, and he puffed away at it with no little satisfaction, since it served to soothe his nerves somewhat.

Hop took occasion to drop the dead mouse in the pocket of the man who was standing at the side of Wild to prevent his possible escape, and then he turned to go.

But he came back again, and, looking at the villain he had played the trick on he said:

"You takee my tanglefoot and allee samee puttee in your pockee; me wantee."

As it was Roche who had appropriated the flask, the man shook his head and grinned.

"See here!" exclaimed the leader, angrily. "You ought to be satisfied that I didn't take more than the whisky. You've got your mouse, so go on and do your errand."

"Oh!" cried Hop, his face lighting up. "Now me know. You takee um tanglefoot, and lis man takee my mousee! He allee samee goatee in um pockee."

Instinctively the outlaw put his hand in his pocket, and the first thing his fingers came in contact with was the dead mouse.

He uttered a cry and pulled it out.

"Hip hi!" yelled Hop, as he ran for the mouth of the cave.

But the outlaw was just mad enough to run and catch him before he got to the curtain.

"Here," said Hop, "me givee you lis. Allee samee diamond ling inside. Lettee poor Chinee go!"

It was one of the oblong, little packages that he handed to the man, and, letting the mouse drop, he took it and walked back to those in the big cave.

But he did not notice that a tiny spark was working its way along what seemed to be a string on the package.

The fact was that it was one of his patent firecrackers that Hop had given him.

Just as he joined the rest at the table the thing exploded with a noise like that of a shotgun.

"Ow! Murder!" yelled the outlaw, for his hand was burned by the operation.

Then he danced about like a wild man, while the prisoners were forced to laugh, in spite of their situation.

Cap Roche was the first to realize what had happened.

"Shut up!" he commanded. "He played a joke on you, that's all. Serves you right for fooling with him. That is the greatest Chinaman I ever saw."

The victim went for water to cool his burning hand.

"Allee light; me go now," called out Hop, who had been, watching from the front of the cave. "Me soonee come back with um money to pay um toll, so be."

Out he went, and he had not gone more than a dozen yards when he came upon the scout.

"Where's Anna an' Eloise?" Charlie demanded.

"Outlaws allee samee gottee," was the reply. "Come 'way petty quicken."

He almost pulled him around the bend, and then he found Jim and Arietta there.

The three had been watching from the top of the cliff, and when they saw the outlaws take Wild in they did not wait very long there, but came back to the pass.

It was their intention to take up a couple of lariats and try and devise a means of getting Wild away from the villains, but when they found that the girls and the Chinaman were not there, while the horses were just as they had left them, they did not know what to make of it.

It was while the scout was creeping up to the cave, thinking that the outlaws might have caught those they had left in the pass, that he saw Hop come out.

It was surely a morning of surprises, and Charlie was badly puzzled.

But when Hop told of the errand he has been sent on he was completely silenced for the time being.

When he found the use of his tongue he exclaimed:

"Well, that beats anything yet! So ther galoots wants us ter pay money, eh? Well, I reckon not! We'll jest git Wild an' ther two gals away from 'em without pain' a thing. Hop, you take my horse an' ride over to ther camp as fast as yer kin. Jest git ther miners together an' tell 'em what's up. Then yer kin git some of ther counterfeit money you've got hid around somewhere an' come back an' take it ter Roche. While you're talkin' to 'em we'll all creep in an' fix ther galoots fur good an' all!"

"Allee light, Misler Charlie."

Hop was not long in mounting the scout's horse, and then he rode swiftly to Big Bonanza.

He went to the camp first and, telling Wing enough to make him frightened about it, he got a roll of counterfeit money from his saddlebags.

This he stuffed in his pocket, and then he rode to the saloon.

"Misler Hoker," he said; "me wanted allee samee lot of mans to go and fight um outlaws, so be. Ley allee samee goatee Young Wild West in um cave, and Missy Anna and Missy Eloise, too, so be."

The keeper of the saloon was astounded when he heard this.

He questioned the Chinaman and soon came to the conclusion that he was telling the truth.

Then he hastily left the saloon and went out and told the miners as fast as he could get to the places they were working at.

Shortly afterward the first of the miners to be notified by Hoker came running into the saloon.

Hop had to answer a lot of questions, but he managed to make it plain to the miners what was wanted of them, so in a few minutes they were marching for the pass.

The Chinaman rode on ahead and soon came to the spot where he had left Charlie, Jim and Arietta.

But they were not there now, and, thinking that they had ascended the cliff again, he decided to go on in the cave.

He went around to the curtain and found the scout lying close to the cliff near it.

Charlie motioned for him to go on in, and, without looking at him any further, Hop lifted the curtain and obeyed.

CHAPTER XIV.

HOW ARIETTA PAID THE TOLL.

Arietta and Jim had gone to the top of the cliff again, hoping to catch sight of Wild once more, while Charlie remained near the mouth of the cave.

The scout made up his mind to get inside when Hop came back, and he had managed to creep up close to the concealed opening.

As the Chinaman passed inside he waited for half a minute, and then he took the risk of raising the curtain a trifle.

The coast was clear, so he crawled through.

Once on the inside, he moved over to a rocky wall and then listened.

He could hear the Chinaman talking in his bland way to the villains.

There had been a man watching for Hop's return, but in some way he had neglected to be looking at the time Charlie crept up, and it was not until he had escorted the Chinaman to the leader that he went to the curtain to stand guard again.

But he did not see the crouching form of the scout, and once he had passed him Charlie began moving toward the rear of the cave.

He soon got to within a few feet of the villains in the cave, and when he peered from behind a rock and saw his wife and Eloise sitting at the table near Wild; he felt a little easier.

Hop was standing before the leader of the band, and all eyes were turned on him.

He had been talking in a random sort of way, not seeing fit to make a report just yet.

"Stop that!" exclaimed Roche, as he started in to give an account as how smart his uncle in China was. "Did you get the money from Young Wild West's partners—that's the question?"

"Me allee samee git tee bigger pile of money and um bottle of tanglefoot, so be," answered the Chinaman, quickly getting down to business.

"Give me the money!"

"You lettee Miss Anna and Missy Eloise go?" Hop went on asking.

"Yes, I'll let them go right now."

To make good his words he cut the ropes that held them helpless and told the two girls to walk on out.

Surprised at their sudden release, they lost no time in obeying.

Hop handed over the roll of counterfeit money.

"Now you can go, too," he said, nodding to the Chinaman.

"How aboutee Misler Wild?"

"Well, we'll keep him a little while longer, I reckon."

Anna and Eloise lost no time in getting out of the cave.

Just why the villainous leader of the band had seen fit to let them go they did not know.

The scout saw them go past him, but he did not offer to attract their attention.

He was waiting to get a chance to release Wild.

But it was not going to come to him just then, for Cap Roche suddenly called Chuck Snivel and said:

"Take Young Wild West out and tie him to the post again. I reckon we can't trust altogether to that Chinaman. It may be that he has told the miners of Big Bonanza all about this. If he has we will need the prisoner to make terms with them. There is one thing about it, and that is that Young Wild West don't go free until I know for a certainty that we will be allowed a chance to get away."

As soon as Hop saw that they were going to take Wild outside he made his way toward the front of the cave.

"Goodby!" he said. "When you finder lat me allee samee keepee my word you let Misler Wild go. Len you all go 'way, and nobody hurtee you."

Hop lost no time in getting outside.

He found the girls where the horses were.

But Jim and Arietta were nowhere to be seen.

"Missy Anna," he said to the scout's wife, "you and Missy Eloise allee samee takee horses and lide to meet um miners. You tellee allee 'boutee. But makee um stay light here till Misler Charlie or Misler Jim come."

"All right, Hop," Anna answered. "We will do just as you say. But where is Charlie?"

"He in um cave."

"What!"

"He come in light after me, so be. He waitee to git tee lillee chance to git tee Misler Wild outee."

The girls understood.

Just then the walking miners from the camp came in sight.

There were twenty or more of them, and they were all armed to the teeth.

When they saw the girls they broke into a cheer, but a motion from Hop quickly silenced them.

"Don't makee no noise," he said. "Misler Wild no git tee outee yet, so be."

Then he told them just how things were, and the men agreed to wait with the girls until they received orders from either Charlie on Jim.

Hop now clambered up the cliff to find Arietta and Jim.

Once at the top he looked around, but could see nothing of them.

He quickly made his way over to the other side and cautiously peered over.

The outlaws had just brought Wild out of the cave, and on a ledge about twelve feet above him were Arietta and Jim, hiding behind a rock.

"Young Wild West," said Cap Roche, as the boy was led out to the post, "are you ready to give your promise that we will not be interfered with?"

"I can't give a promise like that until I know for certain that I am to be freed," was the reply.

As Wild spoke the words he caught a glimpse of Arietta and Jim on the ledge.

But he was so well trained that he did not let the villains know that he had seen anything out of the ordinary.

"Tie him to the post, boys," said Roche. "I reckon we've got to figure this thing out right before we do much. I'll see if we need any more in the way of toll."

He pulled out the roll Hop had given him, and the men, eager to see the money, did not proceed to tie Wild right away.

The moment Roche opened the roll he saw that it was not good money.

An oath escaped his lips.

"Where is that rascal of a Chinaman?" he demanded. "This isn't money. It is nothing but the rankest kind of counterfeit bills."

It was just then that our hero saw his sweetheart getting ready to do something.

At the same moment Hop was hurrying to the edge of the cliff on the other side to tell the miners to rush into the cave.

The critical moment had arrived.

The villains had just finished tying Wild to the post when a lariat whizzed through the air and settled over the head and shoulders of the leader.

"Here is the way we are going to pay the toll!" cried Arietta.

Up the side of the cliff went the man.

The brave girl held a revolver pointed at Snivel, and, in a ringing voice, she added:

"Release the prisoner, or your captain will die!"

CHAPTER XV.

CONCLUSION.

Cheyenne Charlie was just thinking of making his way out of the cave when a shout rang out from the opening they had taken Wild through.

Out went the men in a hurry, and, hearing Arietta's voice shouting a warning to them, the scout drew his revolvers, and with one in either hand bounded out after the outlaws.

One of the first things he saw was the form of Cap Roche hanging from the ledge.

The rope had looped him about the body and pinioned his arms at the same time.

But the villain was making a desperate struggle and the rope showed signs of slipping.

However, not one of the men dared to shoot at the girl or Jim.

Cheyenne Charlie stepped up and walked around behind Wild without being noticed by the excited and surprised outlaws.

A quick slash with his knife and the ropes were severed.

Then he slipped a revolver in the boy's hand.

Wild coolly stepped from the post.

"Up with your hands, you sneaking coyotes!" he cried in a ringing voice. "I reckon ther jig is up now. Arietta has paid ther toll!"

Then Wild calmly reached out and took another revolver from the belt of the nearest man to him.

Two of the villains held up their hands, but the rest made a bolt for the cave.

Crack!

Cheyenne Charlie got at work, as usual, and the foremost one dropped.

"I reckon you galoots will have ter have a bigger grave dug when we git through with yer," he called out. "That one you've got here ain't half big enough!"

Just then Cap Roche slipped the rope, and down he came in a heap.

Before he could get upon his feet our hero stood over him.

"Surrender!" he cried. "It is the easiest way out of it. If you fight it out there won't be one man left of you, Roche!"

"I'll never surrender!" was the defiant shout. "Go ahead and shoot me, if you want to. I am going to die fighting."

He rolled over and got upon his feet, regardless of the fact that the finger of the young deadshot was upon the trigger of the revolver that was aimed at him.

Roche had lost his revolvers when he tumbled down, but he still hold his knife.

Jerking it from the sheath, he prepared to make a rush at the boy, who stood covering him with a revolver.

Just then several shots rang out from inside the cave, following by yells of triumph.

Arietta now slid down by means of the lariat Jim had hold of.

Then Jim dropped the distance himself.

Out of the cave came the miners, dragging the prisoners they had taken with them.

Roche turned deathly pale when he saw that it was all up with him.

"Young Wild West," he hissed, "I want to kill you before I die myself! I will never be taken alive, so if you have got the nerve to fight me, come on!"

Wild dropped his revolvers into the holsters and took Jim's knife.

"I'm after you, Cap!" he exclaimed, a smile playing about his mouth. "If you want to kill me, come on!"

Clash!

The knives came together in the air, and then the fight was on.

Young Wild West kept slapping him on the face with the flat of his knife blade, and this was galling to the outlaw.

"What are you, a young fiend?" he cried, savagely, as he received a scratch on the neck, which he knew could have been his finish if the boy had so willed it.

"No," answered Wild; "I am simply a boy who has practiced this sort of business a great deal. Look, out for yourself, Cap! I am going to make you drop that knife!"

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the back of Wild's blade struck the villain's wrist.

Uttering a cry of pain, Roche dropped his weapon.

Then he staggered back and picked up a stone.

Crack!

One of the miners fired and the man reeled, and, letting go the stone, dropped to the ground, dead.

Our hero now went into the cave, for the twelve men who had survived were all tied hard and fast.

It was only natural that he should want to look around the cave, and one of the first things he came across was the paint that had been used to make the signs, or some just like it.

A brush was found, and he painted the following across the entire breadth of the curtain:

"Closed for Repairs—No More Toll Collected in the Pass!"

"I reckon that looks all right, don't it, boys?" he called out to the miners.

"You bet!" cried John Sedgwick. "Boys, give three cheers fur Young Wild West!"

The cheering echoed through the pass.

It was now near noon, but Wild was bent on doing the work he had in view, so he started in.

He sent the miners on with the prisoners, and then he painted a couple of signs to take the places of those at either end of the pass.

The signs when finished bore the words:

"Short Cut Pass—No danger!"

(Signed) "Young Wild West."

"There! I reckon as soon as we have put these up we will call the job complete," he said.

Not until they were up did our friends return to their camp.

There was a big time in Big Bonanza, as might be supposed.

A messenger had been sent over to Silver Bend to spread the news of the capture of the outlaw band, and, with the prisoners locked in a shanty, the miners danced around it in delight.

It was the middle of the afternoon when a crowd came over from Silver Bend, and then the prisoners were turned over to the Vigilantes who were with them.

Everybody was surprised when they heard that Cap Roche was dead, and that he had been the leader of the outlaws.

The next day Young Wild West and his friends left Big Bonanza.

They rode through the pass that had been forbidden to travelers unless they paid toll, and stopped at Silver Bend, for a day and night.

They received a big ovation there, and the next morning they set out for Arizona, where our hero had some business to attend to.

They all were willing to allow that it was one of the liveliest mornings they had ever put in when they went to Forbidden Pass, however.

But Arietta had paid the toll, so that was sufficient.

THE END.

Read "YOUNG WILD WEST AND THE INDIAN TRAITOR; or, THE CHARGE OF THE 'RED' BRIGADE" which will be the next number (290) of "Wild West Weekly."

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