The lieutenant thought the same. He ordered that the work of finishing the stockade be rushed, and even lent a hand himself. He had no idea of leaving until Hugh, and John Sparks and Tom, across the mountains, and Baroney and Pat Smith, on the Arkansaw with the horses, had been brought in.
It was high time that Corporal Jerry and party turned up. They had been gone a long while, and were needed. Five men and a boy were a small garrison. This evening Corporal Jerry, with John Brown, William Gordon and John Mountjoy, did arrive. After he had reported to the lieutenant, he told his story to the rest of them.
“Yes, we found Hugh, but we had to cross in snow middle deep, to do it. He’s comin’ on with Freegift. They’ll be down to-morrow. We went back to Sparks an’ Dougherty, too.”
“How are they?”
“Bad off. Ah, boys, ’twould melt your hearts to see ’em. They sheer wept when we hailed ’em. They’ve got food enough yet, even after the near two months; but they can scarce walk a step. Their feet are gone, an’ they’ve hardly a finger between ’em. So we couldn’t move ’em; not through the snow of the passes. We did what we could to cheer ’em up, but when we left they acted like they never expected to see us again. Yes; an’ they sent over bones from their feet, for the cap’n, an’ made me promise to give ’em to him as a token an’ to beg him, by all that’s sacred, not to let the two of ’em die like beasts, alone in the wilds. When I gave him the bones an’ told him, he turned white an’ his eyes filled up. ‘They should know me better than that,’ said he. ‘Never would I abandon them. To restore them to their homes and their country again I’d carry the end of a litter, myself, through snow and mountains for months.’”
“He’d do it,” asserted Sergeant Meek. “And so would any of us. Bones from their feet, is it? Who but a soldier would lose the smallest joint for such a pittance of pay, even to serve his country? Surely the Government won’t lose sight o’ men like poor John and Tom.”
The lieutenant took prompt measures. The news from the back trail had affected him sorely. This same evening he approached the men who were sitting around the fire. They sprang up, to attention.
“You have heard of the condition of Sparks and Dougherty,” he addressed. “They must be brought in at once, with all possible speed.” He paused, as if planning.
Sergeant Meek saluted.
“One man and myself will take the trip, sir, with your permission. Jest give us the word, sir.”