After that the miners made no further investments in quadrupeds, except to the extent of three or four mules, needed by Vose Adams, though he was forced to make one journey to Sacramento on foot. Thus matters stood until the addition of the horses. There was always danger of their being stolen, but as the weeks and 165 months passed, without the occurrence of anything of that nature, the matter was forgotten.
The three men were so familiar with the surroundings that they made their way to the bottom of the cañon with as much readiness as if the sun were shining. Pausing beside the narrow, winding stream, which at that season was no more than a brook, they stood for several minutes peering here and there in the gloom, for the animals indispensable for a successful pursuit of the eloping ones.
“There’s no saying how long it will take to find them,” remarked the captain impatiently; “it may be they have been grazing a mile away.”
“Have you any signal which your animal understands?”
“Yes, but it is doubtful if he will obey it.”
Captain Dawson placed his fingers between his lips and emitted a peculiar tremulous whistle, repeating it three times with much distinctness. Then all stood silent and listening.
“He may be asleep. Once he was prompt to obey me, but he has been turned loose so long that there is little likelihood of his heeding it.”
“Try it again and a little stronger,” suggested Ruggles.
The captain repeated the call until it seemed certain 166 the animal must hear it, but all the same, the result was nothing.
It was exasperating for the hounds thus to be held in leash when the game was speeding from them, with the scent warm, but there was no help for it.