Their faces were clear in the moonlight, and Alison felt that they at least had nothing to conceal; but the corporal did not look quite satisfied with the assurances they offered him. Addressing two or three, one after another, he interrogated them sharply.
"I'll have to trouble you to lead up your horses, boys," he said at length.
They did it with some grumbling, and when the corporal was convinced that not a beast was missing, he turned to Thorne.
"You keep a team here, don't you?"
"Oh, yes," replied Thorne carelessly, though he had dreaded this question.
The corporal swung round and looked at his companion, who had quietly slipped away for a few minutes when they first rode in.
"There's one beast hobbled by the creek," announced the trooper. "I can see no sign of the other."
The corporal looked at Thorne.
"Do you feel like making any explanation?"
"No. If you have anything against me I'll leave you to prove it."