And when, later in the afternoon, most of the men who had gone out after George Mason, returned from their unsuccessful expedition, the discussion in regard to Mason's strange proceeding grew very animated. Some thought he had only intended to play a trick; others that he had been unable to get away with the horses, as he had hoped to do when he had taken them.
But nobody knew anything about the matter excepting George Mason himself, and he was not there to give the village any information.
As for Harry, he did not stay long to hear the discussions at the store.
His mind was full of a much more important matter and he ran off to find Kate. He wanted to talk over his latest impressions with her.
When he reached the house, where his appearance greatly tranquillized his mother's mind, he found Kate in the yard under the big catalpa-trees, always a favorite place of resort in fine weather.
"Oh, Harry!" she cried, when she saw him, "did they find the horses?"
"No," said Harry; "they didn't find them."
"Oh, what a pity! And some of them were borrowed horses. Tony Kirk had Captain Caseby's mud-colored horse. I don't know what the captain will do without him."
"Oh, the captain will do very well," said Harry.
"But he can't do very well," persisted Kate. "It's the only horse he has in the world. One thing certain, they can't go to church."