At that the man’s face lighted up a trifle. He had told the worst, and the rest would come easier now.
“Oh, no, indeed, sir, none of us were badly injured, strange as it might appear,” he hurriedly explained. “Bruised we certainly were, and greatly puzzled at both the attack and its sudden ending, that left us still alive; but we were at least thankful it had been no worse!”
“And then what did you do?” continued the leader of the expedition.
“We stood guard with our guns ready the remainder of the night, sir, but we were not again disturbed. It was toward morning that I made a sudden discovery, which is what has brought me back to the camp to report, while my two companions kept on with your documents intended for the President.”
Captain Lewis drew a deep sigh of relief. That was the first intimation he had received that his precious communications had been saved.
“Then explain why you have returned, if the papers were saved!” he demanded, as though puzzled.
“You forget, sir, that I was entrusted with another paper, which you ordered me to personally hand to the grandfather of the two boys who joined us.”
When Mayhew said this, Dick and Roger knew that a new trouble had descended upon their heads. He must have lost the paper in some manner and yet neither of the lads was able to understand how it could have happened.
“Do you mean to say the paper they set such store on is missing?” Captain Lewis demanded.
“I had it securely hidden in a pocket inside my tunic, Captain,” replied the humbled messenger; “but, when I came to look for it, it could not be found. When morning came we spent a full hour scouring the vicinity, but it was useless. And there had not been a breath of wind to carry a paper away. It must have been taken from me while I was struggling with that unknown man.”