The mountains still towered on every hand. The stream had long since disappeared among the rocks and the gorge had become narrower. Generally it was no more than a dozen feet in width, occasionally expanding to two or three times that extent. The moon had moved over so far that only its faint reflection against the dark walls and masses of rock availed the horsemen. The sky seemed to contain an increasing number of clouds and there were indications of a storm, which might not break for a day or two, and as likely as not would not break at all.
The traveling, despite its difficulty, was comparatively safe. The trail did not lead along the sides of 181 precipices, with a climbing wall on one side and a continuous descent on the other, but it was solid and extended across from one ridge to the other. Because of this fact the three pushed their animals hard, knowing that it would not be long before they would have to be favored.
“I don’t know whether we are wise to keep this up as we are doing,” said the captain, “but I know there are few places where we can travel in the darkness and I feel like making the most of them.”
“It is only a question of what the horses are able to stand,” replied Brush; “it is easy enough for us to ride, but a very different thing for them to carry us. We must guard against their breaking down.”
“I will look out for that, but it is strange that when we were making ready to start we forgot one important matter.”
“What was that?”
“We did not bring a mouthful of food.”
“We shall have little trouble in shooting what game we need.”
“Perhaps not and perhaps we shall. The lieutenant and I found on our way from Sacramento that, although game appeared to be plenty, it had an exasperating habit of keeping out of range when we particularly needed it. Delay will be necessary to get food, 182 and the reports of our guns are likely to give warning, just when it is dangerous.”
“It was a bad slip,” assented the parson; “for there was plenty of meat and bread at home; but we shall have to stop now and then to rest our animals and to allow them to feed and we can utilize such intervals by getting something for ourselves in the same line.”