“What about—the gold city?”
“No, my lad, I was thinking about how awkward it would be if the Indians had found a better road than we did, and had got to the camp while we’ve been away.”
“Griggs!” cried Chris in an agonised voice.—“Oh, nonsense! You said that to scare me.”
“No; it’s too serious a thing to cut jokes about. This is a big country, and we are only feeling our way, being strangers. Those Indian fellows were born in it, and must know it by heart.”
“Here, let’s ride on as fast as we can,” said Chris huskily. “You think, then, that they may have been surprised?”
“I only felt that it might be possible.”
“Then let’s get on at full speed,” cried Chris. “It’s horrible to think that they may be wanting our help.”
“We can’t ride at full speed,” said Griggs quietly, “only go at a walk; and I dare say it’s all my fancy.”
“But we might go faster than this,” said Chris excitedly.
“No; the way’s so bad that we should only throw our ponies down.”