"The chances are," said I gloomily, "that the colonel will be knocking us up before we have fairly begun to dream." At which dismal prophecy José threatened me with all sorts of pains and penalties unless I held my peace.
As it happened, the colonel did not need us, and we actually slept without waking until nine o'clock the next morning, when, having made a hearty breakfast, we went to call upon the chief.
"Why, Crawford," exclaimed the colonel, smiling, "I thought you were lost!"
"Only in dreams, sir," I replied. "We've been catching up a little of our lost sleep. We did not know how soon we might be on the march again."
"So you made the most of your opportunity? Well, I don't blame you; but it is possible we shall make a long halt here."
"Possible," remarked José to me afterwards, "but not probable;" and events proved that, as far as we were concerned, he was right.
That evening the colonel invited us to dinner; but we had scarcely sat down when he was called away to speak to a messenger who had brought important news. He returned looking rather thoughtful, and, catching sight of José, exclaimed,—
"Craig, you are pretty well acquainted with the Indian dialects, I believe?"
"Yes, sir," answered José readily; "I can manage to talk with most of the natives."
"Then you are the very man I want. I'll tell you all about it after dinner. Mustn't send you off without satisfying the inner man, eh?"