The conversation lasted far into the night. But at last fatigue overcame them, and they slept. But at early dawn they took some food and set out again in high spirits.
Besides the traces of a fire in the cave, the little band encountered other signs in the forest and the open country. The trampled grass and broken branches were caused by the constant movement of animals, ruminants or beasts of prey, but it was impossible to be under any misapprehension when they came upon the traces of encampments.
“Besides,” Fritz pointed out, “who but our own people could have planted the flag on the summit of that peak?”
“Unless it went and planted itself there!” the boatswain replied with a laugh.
“Which would not be a surprising thing for an English flag to do!” Fritz replied cheerfully. “There are quite a lot of places where it would seem to have grown by itself!”
Led by Fritz, the party descended the first slopes of the range, which were partly covered by the forest.
Great obstacles to overcome or serious risks to be incurred seemed unlikely on the way from the range to the Promised Land.
The distance between the two points might be estimated at twenty miles. If they did ten miles a day, with a halt for two hours at mid-day, and slept one night on the way, they could reach the defile of Cluse in the evening of the following day.
From the defile to Rock Castle or to Falconhurst would be a matter of a few hours only.
“Ah,” said Frank, “if we only had our two good buffaloes, Storm and Grumbler, or Fritz’s onager, or Whirlwind, Jack’s ostrich, it would only take us one day to get to Rock Castle!”