"Of course, we'll follow him!" growled Mangle. "Don't stand and talk about it. Come on! He'll be out of hearing in another minute! This is the worst luck yet!"
He leaped for one of the mustangs. In another second all three of the men were mounted and riding after Allen as rapidly as the nature of the land and growth would allow.
"How do you think he escaped? " asked Darry, as they pushed on.
"Can't make it out," replied Mangle. "We'll make him tell the story when we catch him. Ha! what was that?"
A sudden crash ahead had arrested their attention. He listened. A dead silence followed.
"The hosses and young feller have gone into some sort of a hole," cried Darry. "We'll have him now, all right enough."
On they went through the brush, Mangle leading the way. Suddenly the leader came to a halt. Before him was a sheer descent of eight or ten feet.
"Here's where he and the hosses went down," he said to his followers.
"But where is he?" questioned Darry.
