“It’s a great nuisance, just when we had decided to make an early start in the morning. Now everything depends upon our finding the animals and bringing them back.”
There was of course no more sleep that night, neither, much as it was expected, was there any return of the visitor of the night during the long hours of the watch.
But the morning broke at last, and as soon as it was light enough the party began to follow the trail of the bear, starting from the spot where Bourne had his alarming adventure, the traces of which were plain enough, the earth and growth being torn up by the brute’s claws. From there the spots of blood which had fallen from the bear’s wound were plain enough at intervals, and they were followed for about a quarter of a mile, where the animal had plunged into the dense forest, where the trees and undergrowth presented a front that could not be penetrated by a human being, though comparatively easy for a quadruped.
Further pursuit was given up, and the party returned to follow up the trail of the ponies and mules.
This was found at once, the animals, obeying their gregarious instinct, having, after being alarmed, closed in together for mutual protection and made off down the gully to the open country and the plains.
Griggs took the lead from old experience of such accidents, and pointed out how the frightened beasts had galloped frantically for miles, then, pretty well exhausted, subsided to a trot, which had been kept up for several more before their progress became a walk, with halts here and there for grazing. In fact, it was several hours before the poor brutes were sighted right out on the salt plain, and when overtaken and headed off on the return journey, not even a single mule seemed to make the slightest objection, for they all closed up into a drove and walked steadily back, every animal with roughened coat stiffened by dust and ready to hang its head with the look of one which had done enough work for one day.
It was not until the afternoon that the dreary tramp back brought the party in sight of their last night’s camp, and that was not reached until close upon sundown, a long halt having been necessary to water the weary beasts and let them graze.
“I don’t think we’re going to make much of a start to-day, Griggs,” said Chris, with a twinkle in his eyes.
“I know I’m not, squire,” said the American. “It seems a shame to neglect human beings for the sake of horses, but it has to be done. Here, I meant to have a few birds for a roast this evening, and now it’s only tea and fried bacon. But it might be worse, eh?”
“Ever so much,” replied Chris. “But I am hungry.”