“I say,” exclaimed the emigrant suddenly, “you’re——”
When he had said this, the two hunters and Simon began to remonstrate with him. The boys could not catch their words, but they distinctly heard the old man say: “Do you want me to let them youngsters go off and lose themselves? It is my bounded duty to set ’em right.”
“I say,” shouted the old man again, “you’ll never see Bolton if you go that way. You’re going wrong. Zack and Sile say we’ll be there to-night?”
“Well, Zack and Sile know better than that. You are the one who is going wrong. We know what we are talking about, when we assure you that you are heading as straight from the Fort as you can go!”
“Whoa!” shouted the Pike, bringing both his teams to a stand still. “This thing must be settled now. Come here, boys.”
The three friends moved toward the wagon, but Archie’s horse declining to approach very near, pretending to be much afraid of the white canvas covers, his rider was obliged to dismount and lead him.
“Now if the Fort is off there, as you say it is, what is the reason that Zack and Sile are leading us the other way?” demanded the Pike.
“They have reasons of their own, with which we are not acquainted,” answered Archie. “But they are going to lose you, and they know it.”
Silas made an angry rejoinder, and this was the beginning of the conversation which we have already recorded. We have related all that passed during the interview, and told how the Pike, suddenly becoming impressed by Archie’s statements, abruptly abandoned the guides he had so long followed, and placed himself and family under the directions of the boys. We have also told of the astounding revelation he afterward made in regard to the treasure which one of his vehicles contained, the manner in which it was received by the three friends, and the discussion on the weight of money that followed, when the old man left them and drew back beside his wagon. We are now ready to take up our story where we left off.