“You have been rather unfortunate,” remarked several, feeling really sorry for the unfortunate Yankees.
“Yes, but I hope we can recover ’em agin.”
“How?”
“Can’t we make a party and pursue them? I’ll do the fair thing with any of you that will join us. You see it hardly looks smart to let a hundred thousand dollars stray off in that style.”
“I cannot speak for the three hunters here, but it would be hardly prudent for the rest of us to weaken our force by dividing it when we are in such a dangerous portion of the country,—but, I beg pardon, we have forgotten the laws of hospitality. Have you been to dinner?”
“I was about to observe that we had not, and we would rather do that just now than anything else we can think of.”
CHAPTER VI.
FLORENCE BRANDON.
Loss of property, grief and misfortune is almost always sure to affect the appetite. A hearty vigorous digestion is incompatible with depression of spirits, or sudden paralysis of sorrow.
But Leonidas Swipes was subject to no such weakness, so far as the loss of his magnificent drove of sheep was concerned. How remote the prospect of his recovering a tithe of his property, he was resolved that it should interfere in no way with the meal before him.
Himself and his two companions seated themselves upon the ground, near one of the large baggage wagons, while several of the females occupied themselves with placing their food upon a matting before them.