“I thought it my duty to stop and see if you would change your plans,” replied Haynes. “The prisoners have escaped.”
“What?” cried Brace, excitedly, as he ran his eyes along the men. “Who were on duty?”
“The men were all ordered to fall in,” said Haynes.
“Yes; quite right. Oh, what a blunder!” added Brace, excitedly, beneath his breath. Then turning to me—“Gil,” he murmured, “our plan is thwarted.”
“Don’t give up yet,” I whispered.
“But they will have gone to the town and given warning of our presence.”
“They may have fled in another direction.”
Brace was silent for a few moments, and then he said quickly—
“Well, it need not interfere; we should be obliged to move off, but must alter our plans a little.”
He spoke to Haynes, who gave the orders for four men to fall out. The litter was seized, Sergeant Craig carefully lifted upon it, the doctor looking on wonderingly; and then, as the men raised the handles, Brace spoke again.