“O heavens! Ward, you cannot imagine how much you have relieved me.”
“I seed you was kinder worked over it, though your’ne been trying mighty hard to keep it from me,” replied Lancaster with a sly grin.
“Of course; who is there in our whole party that doesn’t feel terrible over it?”
“Y—a—s, I know, but I reckon you feel a little terribler than the rest.”
“I don’t know as I do.”
“But I do though; don’t try to play any of your foriniky tricks on me, Fred; I’m an old enough coon to know what it all means.”
“If that is the case where is the use of any reference being made to it, by either you or me?” asked Wainwright.
Lancaster and Wainwright made their way back to camp, where they had found the excitement among the females had increased, while upon the men it had settled into a determination, that if it were possible for mortal man to rescue the fair captive, it should be done. Not a man among them all but was ready and anxious to join in the pursuit.
Time was precious, the guide, who from his position, naturally fell into that of a guide in other matters, determined to organize the pursuit at once. It would be madness to think of allowing all the men or a majority to undertake the business, as the train was in a dangerous part of the country, and such a proceeding would invite their destruction by the thieving hordes who would be very quick to discover their defenceless condition, and take advantage of it.
Ten men well mounted and armed were all he needed, and he selected these at once. It is hardly necessary to say that himself and Wainwright were the first two. Harling, it was concluded best, to leave with the train, where his knowledge and watchfulness would detect the very first opinion. Mr. Templeton and seven others, whose appearance struck the trapper as being favorable, were then selected—he expressing the belief that each of them possessed the requisite amount of “grit” for the business before them.