This reply staggered the others a bit, but it was too late now. Hal saw that he had not acted promptly enough, but to order Nicolas to change his decision would have aroused the suspicion of the others. There was nothing for it but to make the best of a bad situation.
"All right, we'll come along then, Nicolas," said the man who appeared to be the leader of the newcomers. "Might be a little gold in it for us, eh?"
"There might be," agreed Nicolas, with an evil smile.
Hal held a whispered consultation with the others and it was agreed it would be foolish to bring matters to a climax now.
"Wait until we get our horses," was Chester's advice.
The augmented party now continued on its way.
Half an hour later they came to the place where they had left their horses some days before. The man who had taken care of them advanced to meet the party.
"Horses still here?" asked Colonel Edwards.
The man nodded.
"And can you spare us three extra ones?"