“Everybody did,” replied the doctor, “and I said we were going prospecting.”
“Oh, you might have said the real thing, sir. They sneer at you as much for one as for t’other. But that don’t matter. I don’t know, though: if they knew as much as we know we should have the whole settlement after us; not that I should mind every one I know having a nibble at the yellow cake, but where half-a-dozen people might manage to find enough water, fifty folk would die of thirst, and perhaps tell us it was all our fault.”
“Yes, the smaller our party the better, I say,” said Bourne.
“Which means I’d better stop out of it, sir,” said Griggs shortly.
“No, it does not, Griggs,” cried the doctor warmly. “Cer-tain-ly not,” added Bourne. “You will come with us, of course.”
“Well, I—”
“That’ll do, Griggs; no backing out,” said Wilton shortly.—“Now then, what about stores?”
“I propose that two of us decide what money will be necessary, and then go over to Mainton with two mule-carts and spend it on such things as we shall want. That will take a week, including the obtaining a sufficiency of ammunition.”
“Which means plenty, gentlemen, for we might be regularly besieged in our wagon, and have to beat the Injuns off.”
“I don’t anticipate that,” replied the doctor calmly, while the boys felt their nerves tingle; “but we will be prepared. Then we shall come back—I mean those who undertake the task will come back, and that will be all that is necessary to be done, save having one or two good discussions as to the route we shall take. Then we’ll start upon our wild quest.”