After handing his pouch to the quartermaster-sergeant, his eyes fell upon the boy sergeants.
"I saw Texas Dick and Juan Brincos at Cisternas Negras," he said, addressing them.
"My! Did you, Mr. Hudson?" exclaimed Henry, springing to his feet and approaching the courier. "Did they have our ponies?"
"You know I never saw your ponies; but Dick was mounted on a black, with a white star in his forehead, and Juan on a cream-color, with a brown mane and tail."
"Sancho!" said Frank.
"Chiquita!" said Henry.
"Do you know where they were bound?" asked Captain Bayard.
"I did not speak to them, nor did they see me; I thought it would be better to keep out of the way of such desperate characters in a lonely place. I learned from a friend of theirs at Date Creek that they intend to open a monte bank at La Paz."
"Then they are likely to remain there for some time."
"Can't something be done to get the ponies back, sir?" asked Frank.