e leaped inside, his eyes ablaze, and
his whole form quivering with rage--and he carried a flash light, which
he threw at once into the detective's face; into the face of the man he
supposed to be Bill Turner.

Nick could see that the instant the light fell upon him Handsome seemed
greatly relieved; and then, before the outlaw could utter a word, Nick
cried out in the voice of old Turner:

"What--what's all that row about, Handsome?" and he blinked his eyes as
if he had just been awakened.

"It's lucky for you that you don't know what it's about!" was Handsome's
rejoinder. "Get out of that, Turner, and come along with me."

"But, what's the matter?" demanded Nick, sliding out of the bunk. "What
has happened?"

"That fellow Pat has escaped--that's what!" was the reply.

"Sho! You don't say so! Well, well, well! When did he do it?"

"I haven't found out yet. Come along. I thought at first that maybe you
had had a hand in it--but I see you did not."

"What! Me?"

Every hobo that belonged to the gang had gathered in the centre of the
place near where the mock trial had been held, and they were talking
earnestly together. Cremation Mike, with one hand held at the back of
his head, was the centre of the group--or rather of the throng.

But Handsome burst unceremoniously through the crowd and confronted
Mike, Nick following at his heels.

Black Madge forced her way through it at the same time from the opposite
side.

"Now, Mike," said Handsome savagely. "Tell me how this happened."

"I don't know. All that I know is, I got a crack on the head from
behind. When I woke up, the bar had been ripped off the door and the
bird had flown. That's all I know."

"How long ago did it happen?"

"How do I know that? Unless some one can tell how long I've been
unconscious. But I'll bet my hat that it ain't ten minutes. I don't
think it's three minutes. He can't be far away, and"--grinning--"he
can't get away. He can't go through the pass, because the guards are
there; I posted them myself; and the only way in which he could hope to
get out is through the cave, and I don't believe he could find his way
through there. I know that I wouldn't try it myself. I'd rather stay
here and be hung."

Madge interrupted the conversation here.

"Do you think that he got out of the cabin without aid?" she asked of
Mike. "Do you believe that it was he who struck you, Mike?"

"I do, Madge. I'm sure of it."

"Then, you weren't keeping