"I heard him say something about Barnet's."
"That is a ford only five miles from here. Barnet is one of the right sort of people. This road will take you to his house. Good-by, my friend, and don't get separated from your party again."
Rejoining Dan and his Party.
I certainly did not need the last injunction. Reaching the ford, Barnet told me that our party had spent several hours in crossing, and was encamped three miles ahead. He took me over the river in his canoe, my mule swimming behind. Half a mile down the road. I met Ellis and Treadaway.
"Ah ha!" said Dan, "we were looking for you. I told the boys not to be uneasy. There are men in our crowd who would have blundered upon some Rebel, told all about us, and so alarmed the country and brought out the Home Guards; but I knew you were discreet enough to take care of yourself, and not endanger us. Let us breakfast at this Union house."
XXIII. Monday, January 9.
"To-day," said Dan Ellis, "we must cross the Big Butte of Rich Mountain."
"How far is it?" I asked.
"It is generally called ten miles; but I suspect it is about fifteen, and a rather hard road at that."
About fifteen, and a rather hard road! It seemed fifty, and a very Via Dolorosa.