eard grow. But what's ther odds?
I'll shave up an' spruce up jest as soon as I've made my pile. Then I'll
light out fur home, an' me an' my wife will live on ther fat of ther
land. I've got nigh to a hundred thousand now, an' jest as soon as I git
it I'm goin' ter strike out fur ther East. Hello, Charlie! Hello, Jim!"

He now shook hands with our hero's partners, for they had recognized him
as an old acquaintance the moment Wild spoke to him.

The girls had seen Sedgwick, too, and they greeted him warmly.

"Well," said the miner, "I reckon there ain't many here in Big Bonanza
what ain't heard tell of Young Wild West an' his pards. I've kept ther
boys interested in tellin' 'em about ther wonderful things you've done.
Come up an' shake hands with ther whitest boy what ever stuck his toe in
a stirrup, boys!"

The last was addressed to the men who had come over with him, and they
now pressed forward eagerly.

Young Wild West sized them up quickly and made up his mind that they
were an honest lot, indeed.

He had come in contact with so many rough characters that he had made it
a point to read faces and study character that way.

It was seldom that he made a mistake in his estimation of a man, either.

The miners seemed very glad to know the dashing young deadshot and his
friends, and after they had talked awhile they, turned to make their way
to their shanties, so they might get their suppers.

As our hero followed Sedgwick a little way from the camp his glance
happened to turn toward the mouth of the narrow pass at the other side
of the valley.

"Where does that trail lend to, John?" he asked, pointing it out.

"That?" the miner queried, as he shook his head. "That trail leads ter
Silver Bend, which is another minin' camp a good deal bigger than this
here one. It's only ten miles from here by goin' through that pass. But
few as know about ther pass goes that way. They would rather go around
about twenty-five miles, so they don't have ter go through it. They
calls it 'Forbidden Pass,' yer know."

"Forbidden Pass, eh?"

Young Wild West looked interested.

"Yes, that's it."

"But what do they call it that for?"

"Well, there's a certain gang what belongs ter Silver Bend what runs
things their own way, an' they say that they've organized inter a gang
of outlaws ter clean out them what travels through ther pass. They put
up a sign at either end of ther pass, which is only about a mile an' a
half long, ter le