"And would not that, in the present case, lead them to go toward rather than from home?"
"I'm blessed if I thought of that!"
The rancher was filled with dismay for the moment, and brought Dick down to a walk.
"No," he added the next moment, striking him into a gallop again, "if they were left to themselves they would try to make their way to the ranch, but they have been under too much guidance, and have been forced to do too many disagreeable things, for them to attempt that. I am sure we are nearing Fort Meade."
"I trust so," was the response of the wife; which remark did anything but add to the hopefulness of her husband.
The animals now began to show signs of fatigue. The snow balled under their hoofs, causing a peculiar jolting to the riders, when it became so big that the weight broke it or made their feet slip off, when new gatherings commenced immediately to form.
After being forced to a canter the horses would drop of their own accord to a walk, and soon they were left to continue at their own gait.
"How far, Molly, do you think we have come?" asked the rancher.
"It must be fifteen miles, and possibly more; if it were in a direct line, adding what we made before crossing the last stream, it would be safe to wait until morning."
Again the wife gave expression to the thought that was in her husband's mind. He had been asking himself for the last half hour whether it would not be wise to come to a halt for daylight. The rest thus secured to the animals would enable them to do much better, when the right course could be determined with absolute certainty, and a few hours' brisk riding ought to take them beyond all fear of their harassing enemies.