“I’ll wait for you, sergeant. I’m anxious to go through Blind Man’s Pass and join Dick and Toma.” Then more plaintively: “You won’t change your mind, will you?”
Both Richardson and Malemute Slade laughed at the young man’s earnestness.
“No, Sandy, a promise is a promise. I’ll not go back on my word.” Richardson turned and addressed Slade. “You’d better make arrangements to take the prisoners over to barracks as quickly as possible. I’d suggest that you start tomorrow.”
“I’ll start this afternoon if you say the word, sergeant.”
“No. You need a few hours in which to rest up. Tomorrow will do almost as well.”
With a nod and a smile for both of them, the policeman turned quickly and strode out of the room.
CHAPTER XIV
FOLLOWING THE PACK-TRAIN
Through an opaque darkness filled with the oppressive silence of Arctic night, Dick and Toma made their way. A few stars had come out like wayward wanderers. On every side were gray, unfamiliar shapes. Objects were shadowy and indistinct. Wolves and coyotes made the only sound heard across that weird and mysterious wilderness.
“We ought to find him pretty soon, Toma,” Dick broke forth. “We’ve been travelling for an hour now, and I’m sure we’ve been making better progress than the pack-train.”
They came to the foot of a slope and started up, side by side, their moccasined feet swishing through the freshly fallen snow. Gaining the summit of the hill, they paused for breath. Then the quick ears of the guide, straining always for some sound that might be significant, detected a faint rustling ahead.