“What’s become of Venus?” he abruptly exclaimed, stopping short when he had gone something like a mile; “she’s played the sneak act. That beats me!”
He located the beautiful orb well to his left instead of in front. He knew the explanation. He had started on the tramp of a big circle which he assuredly would have followed, but for the care he used.
The best explanation of this curious tendency is that every person is either right or left handed. When walking without the unsuspected guides that serve during daylight, one side displays a little more vigor than the other, and causes a deviation from a straight course.
Alden faced about like a soldier on drill, and took care that he did not wander astray again. If he had made no mistake at the beginning, he was sure to arrive at his destination before long.
Twice while striding across a stretch of open ground, he fancied he saw the twinkle of a light ahead, but in the same moment it vanished and he concluded he was mistaken. When, however, it shone out a third time, he no longer doubted. Although its brightness varied it was never wholly lost.
He halted to study the manifestation, for to say the least it was out of the usual order of things. All lights at that time of night ought to be stationary. If it came from an emigrant camp or the window of a cabin, it would glow steadily, but a glance showed that it was moving. It had a rhythmic rise and fall, slight of itself, but distinct, such as is made by a person carrying a lighted lantern as he walks, or possibly by a horseman whose animal is on the same stride.
“I’m like Columbus on the Santa Maria,” thought Alden; “the first light which he saw as he drew near the New World, was carried by a man running along the beach, though it doesn’t seem that any one ever found who the fellow was. I wonder whether Columbus made any attempt to do so.”
It was far more to the point for Alden to learn the meaning of what he saw. It was not to be supposed that an Indian had anything to do with it. Such a performance was contrary to their nature, and to Alden it was none the less remarkable that a member of his own race should be the cause; still it must be one or the other.
With a natural curiosity, the youth held to his course with a view of meeting the one with the torch or lantern. The dipping motion continued, showing that the stranger was either walking or riding a horse.