I may add that Bates did stick to it; and as Jack had prophesied, he came to regard that hard experience as the most fortunate episode of his life.
Our patient was so much recovered next morning that we were able to make a short march of about ten miles, camping in a sheltered curve of the woods which the wind had swept bare of snow, and passing a tolerably comfortable night in spite of the cold. On the third day after this, climbing over a high ridge, we were rejoiced to see, far away in the distance, a wide-spreading plain, over one point of which hung a cloud of smoke. It was the smoke made by the housewives of Bozeman, getting dinner ready.
We were naturally much encouraged by the sight, and went into camp that evening with the expectation that one more march would bring us to the desired haven. As a matter of fact, it did so, but with a change in our mode of progression we could hardly have anticipated.
When, next morning, we crawled out of our blankets, we were surprised to find that the fire was blazing high, having been renewed, seemingly, a couple of hours before. But this surprise was small in comparison with the astonishment we felt when we discovered that Bates had gone; and not only had he gone, but he had taken Ulysses with him!
It was most unaccountable. Had he gone off to explore the road? Had he——? We hastily felt at our sides for our bags of gold-washings. No; that was an unjust suspicion; the bags were all right. What then was the meaning of it?
Having shouted and whistled without effect, we were proceeding to cook our breakfast, when Ulysses bounced into camp and starting up we saw Bates running down the hill towards us.
As soon as he could get breath enough to speak, he gasped out: “I’ve found them! I’ve found the horses!”
“Where? How?” we all exclaimed together.
“Over the hills in that direction,” replied Bates, pointing off to the south-west, “in a little valley about two miles away. Why Morgan has not gone farther I don’t know; but there he is, I’m sure.”
“How came you to go over there?” inquired Jack.