“I’ve searched everywhere that he was likely to be,” replied Esau.
I stopped short, thinking as to which direction we had better take.
“Here, I know where he is,” cried Esau excitedly.
“Yes? Where?”
“Gone up one of the streams to try for gold on the sly. You see if he don’t find out our bit one of these days.”
“Perhaps he has gone for that,” I said thoughtfully.
“I feel sure of it. He has been away lots of times for a bit, and I shouldn’t wonder if he is getting that little physic-bottle of his pretty full.”
“He had better not let Mr Raydon know of it. He’d be in a towering rage,” I said. “Here, let’s hunt him out, and put a stop to it.”
“All right,” said Esau. “Here we are then. Which way shall we go?—east, west, north, or south, or half-way between any two of ’em. I’m willing; don’t make no difference to me.”
I stood and stared at him, for now I saw first how absurd my proposal was, and how unlikely we were to find Quong if we had really gone off on such a mission. Esau grinned.