“Thank you,” said Corporal Richardson simply. He tore open the envelope, produced the letter and read its contents. Except for a slight pucker on his brow, there was no change in his expression.
“It will be necessary,” he said, turning to Slade, “to change our plans completely. I must ask you to go on alone in pursuit of the scar-faced Indian. It will be my duty to proceed elsewhere. I’m sorry, Slade.”
“Don’t you worry about that, Corporal. Orders is orders. I’ll go alone.” A moment of silence, then: “When do you think I’d better start?”
“Right away,” answered Corporal Richardson.
Dick grunted and rolled back into bed, thoroughly disgusted with the whole world in general, but particularly with a certain body of men known as the Royal North West Mounted Police. They had commanded him to remain at the post, while glorious adventure stalked valiantly along the snow-white trail just beyond. He and Sandy were not babies to be petted and pampered in this manner. He’d show ’em. He——
With rebellion in his heart, Dick rolled over presently, thumped down his pillow, and, in a very short time, fell fast asleep.
CHAPTER III
SCARLET AND GOLD
Dick awoke on the following morning to find Sandy stooping over him, regarding him silently with eyes from which shone sympathy and deep concern. As a matter of fact, Sandy was seriously alarmed over his friend’s appearance. Dick’s bandaged head and somewhat pallid face gave him the look of one who hovers close to death’s door. There was an unmistakable catch in the young Scotchman’s voice as he leaned forward still closer to the recumbent form and inquired solicitously:
“Are you feeling any better, Dick?”
“I’m feeling fine,” came the surprising answer, “and I’m going to get up in about three minutes and fight it out with Corporal Richardson. I have no intention of being treated like a child.”