the
steep hillside.

But once in the valley and the roan bounded forward at a swift pace, and
not a moment too soon, for the revolver shots began to rattle, and the
bullets to fly uncomfortably near.

On, at a swift gait the roan went, and though Billy heard the clatter of
hoofs in chase, he had no fear, as he well knew the speed of the animal
he rode.

After a few miles' pursuit the desperadoes gave up the chase and
returned toward the mountains, while Buffalo Billy urged the roan on,
and a couple of hours before dawn he reached the station, roused the
men, and in fifteen minutes two score horsemen were on the way to the
mountains, led by the boy, though Alf Slade himself went in command of
the company.

But though they found the dug-out, and the grave of the man Billy had
killed, the birds had flown, leaving one of their number in his last
resting place to mark the visit of the youth to the desperadoes' den.

CHAPTER XX.

A MAD RIDE.

Back to his home in Kansas went Buffalo Billy, to cheer the heart of his
mother and sisters by his presence, and win their admiration by his
rapid growth into a handsome manly youth.

To please those who so dearly loved him he again attended school for a
couple of months; but with the first wagon-train bound west he went as
hunter, and arriving in the vicinity of the Overland again sought
service as a stage-driver, and was gladly accepted and welcomed back.

He had been driving but a short time after his return, when he carried
east on one trip a coach load of English tourists, whose baggage loaded
down the stage.

Although he was driving at the average regulation speed, to make time at
each station, the Englishmen were growling all the time at the slow pace
they were going and urging Billy to push ahead.

Billy said nothing, other than that he was driving according to orders,
and which was, by the way, by no means a slow gait, and then listened to
their growling in silence, while they were anathematizing everything in
America, as is often the case with foreigners who come to this country.

Billy heard their remarks about the "bloody 'eathen in Hamerica," "the
greatness of hall things hin Hingland," "slow horses," "bad drivers,"
and all such talk, and drove calmly on into Horsehoe.

There the horses were changed, and the six hitched to the coach were
wild Pony Express animals that had been only partially broken in as a
stage team, which Billy delighted in drivin