"Went on horseback."
It had as grand a sound as it would have in the States to say a man had departed in a glass coach drawn by six cream-coloured horses. But he had been "in a hell of a hurry," evidently. Men were exchanging glances.
"Funny nobody saw him."
"When'd he light out?"
"About five this morning."
Oh, that explained it. The people who were up at five were abed now. And the group round the tent whispered that Austin had done the unheard of—had gone off and left the night gang at three o'clock in the morning. They had said so as the day shift turned out.
"But how'd the young feller get such a thing as a horse?"
"Hired it off a stranger out from Dawson yesterday," Maudie answered shortly.
"Oh, that Frenchman—Count—a—Whirligig?"
But Maudie was tired of giving information and getting none. The answer came from one in the group.