“We have gone too far, Lieutenant,” replied the man in an awe-struck whisper. “I saw him farther on than this.”
“Very well; it can’t be helped. Forward.” In grave procession the little party reached the camp.
Having delivered up his despatches, Helmont asked first for leave to stay and see to-morrow’s operations, and secondly for a search-party to hunt up his missing man. It cannot be said that the Colonel jumped at the latter proposal.
The next day was to be an important one, and he wanted every soul that could to get a decent sleep.
“Depend upon it,” he said, “the fellow has been cut down by a marauder. They always cut down the last of the troop.”
“Yes, but I should like to find that marauder,” replied Gerard, “or the corpse. May I go back with my own men?”
“Oh, certainly,” said the commanding officer, a little testily. “You may go back all the way, if you like. Good-night.”
So the little troop slipped away from the encampment and back into the jungle again. They all considered it hard lines, but entirely unavoidable. And they peered the more closely into the dark.
Presently one of the native soldiers stopped on a slope and pointed to the bush close behind him. None of the Europeans could distinguish anything.