"Have you seen any assassins lurking about?"
"No, sir."
Brief as his reply was, Hal stared at the young officer in some astonishment.
"Have you seen any assassins dogging our tracks, Terry?" was Lieutenant Prescott's next question.
"No, sir," came from saluting Noll.
Then, continued the lieutenant, still speaking gravely, "I think that this small United States force may presume to start on its way. Of course, we may run into an ambush within the next thirteen minutes, but that would be a mean trick to play on a military party."
Though the young officer spoke with all gravity the soldier boys realized that he was wholly in jest. Reinforced now by the soldier drivers, who were also armed, this little party of trained men could put up a very ugly point at the first sign of need.
"And Prescott is just the sort of officer who'll always know how to lead men in a scrap," Hal thought admiringly.
"Shall we take our seats on one of the wagons, sir?" questioned Private Noll Terry.
"No; the wagons are too heavily laden as it is, and we've a rough road ahead. You'll march on foot. Take the road just ahead of the wagon train, but do not march under any restraint whatever. Walk just as much at ease as you can."