“You’ll wait here till I take a look at things.”
“What do you mean to do?” asked Brush.
“I’m going up the slope on foot to find out how the land lays.”
“And when you find that out, what next?”
“He is to come back and report to me,” interposed the captain.
There was a world of meaning in these words. It showed that the captain allowed Adams to lead only when acting as a guide. In all other matters, the retired officer assumed control. The opportunity of Vose to pick off the offending lieutenant promised to be better than that of any one else, since he would first see him, but he had been given to understand that he must immediately return and let the captain know the situation. Adams had promised this and he knew Dawson too well to dare to thwart him.
Brush and Ruggles could make no objection, keen though their disappointment was. They watched Adams, as he slipped off his mule, not deeming it worth while to utter the warning both had had in mind. It was the parson who said:
“I suppose we have nothing to do except to wait here till you come back?”
“It looks that way, but you must ask the captain.”