Roger folded his blanket, and stowed it away, after which he went back to the little blaze he had started, saying in a humorous way:
“Well, anyhow we can have our meat cooked as we want it this morning, and not half burned in the Indian style; and that’s worth something;” at which remark his comrade laughed.
“The chances are we’ll never know just who old Karmeet was, or the pretty little dark-faced girl with her,” Roger observed later, while they were eating their frugal meal. “Dove Eyes, she said her name was; and perhaps it was all right, though I never yet saw a turtle-dove with such black eyes; did you, Dick?”
But Dick’s mind was already wrestling with a weightier problem. He had to map out the day’s march and figure on whether they would be apt to strike the river by still heading due north. Roger was already questioning in his mind whether they had not better turn somewhat toward the northeast, so as to make doubly sure; but as yet he had not dared speak his thought aloud.
But after all, it looked as though these things were ordered for the best. Supposing they had never left the bank of the Missouri, what would have been the fate of Karmeet and little Dove Eyes? Surely there must be some Power that regulated all such affairs; and even this wandering on their part had been for a purpose.
As they rode on that morning they gradually left the timber behind once more, and found it only in scattered mottes.
Roger was wavering in his belief, but Dick never allowed himself to doubt that, sooner or later, they must come upon the river again, and possibly many miles above the spot where they had left it. He himself had been figuring it out, and reached the conclusion that there was a tremendous bend above the place of their turning aside to make a “cut-off;” and that, when they were able to again look upon the current of the river, they would have saved possibly a hundred miles of territory.
And should this prove to be the case Dick stood ready to thank his companion for being the cause of their wandering. What had promised to be a disaster might under such new conditions prove a blessing in disguise.
At noon they halted only long enough to take a cold bite. Indeed, this might as well have been done while on the move, only that the boys had compassion on their horses, and wished to give them a little rest in the middle of a hot day.
More than once Dick had raised himself in the stirrups as the afternoon wore on. Roger noticed this finally, and of course was curious to know why he did it.