“Did Murky Nichols see you when you left Fort Good Faith?”
Dick flushed under the searching scrutiny.
“I don’t think he saw us, but he found out about our departure right after we left.” Then Dick turned to Corporal Rand. “It wasn’t altogether my fault, corporal. In less than ten minutes after you went out of my room, the door opened and Murky Nichols came in. He seemed suspicious and asked me what I was doing up at that hour. I pleaded a toothache and was finally forced to ask him to leave. He took up a position in the hall outside. It was easy to see that he did not believe my story and intended to watch me. I was compelled to slip out of the window and go around and wake Sandy and Toma. We were very quiet and I do not believe that he had any intimation of the trick we had played upon him until an hour or two after we’d gone.”
Neither Richardson nor Rand had anything to say. Dick felt that their silence was in itself condemnatory.
“I did the very best I could.” His voice shook a little. “Corporal Rand, I endeavored to follow out your instructions. If I have spoiled your plan, I’m sorry.”
Dick turned his head to hide the tears which had suddenly welled into his eyes. Then he felt a strong comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Forget it, Dick. It’s not your fault,” Corporal Rand declared consolingly.
“You have all done remarkably well,” Sergeant Richardson congratulated them. “I’m proud of you. In the person of Murky Nichols we have one of the cleverest, shrewdest outlaws in this North country. He was your opponent today. You must remember that. He’s not very easily outwitted.”
“How badly is Pearly wounded?” asked Rand.
“Quite seriously, I think,” Sandy answered. “He was unconscious and lost a good deal of blood before we could get him back to the post. Wandley is doing all that is possible for him.”