HE lieutenant and I had arranged to start at daybreak, on horseback, with a couple of baggage mules carrying provisions and camp utensils. Clarice was up to give us our breakfast, and I heard the lieutenant tell her how much he hoped to meet her again.
"Not very likely, in this wild region," she answered with perfect composure, although a slight blush came to her cheek as she spoke.
The lieutenant having given directions to Pat to remain and do his duty,—charging him not to get drunk again, and to come on with the sergeant as soon as he was able to travel,—we were on the point of mounting our horses, when Bartle came up.
"I thought that I should get something out of our fellows," he said. "Of all the strange things I have ever heard of people doing, the strangest is what your two troopers are attempting. It seems that the Dutchman and the Irish chap have taken possession of one of our wheelbarrows and a couple of pick-axes and spades, with such other things as they had a fancy for, and have gone off, expecting to make their way to California, where, it is said, gold can be had to any amount by digging for it."
"The rascals!" exclaimed the lieutenant; "they will not get there in a hurry, and we shall probably come up with them before long."
"They have had a good many days' start of you," observed Bartle, "and if they have kept on going, they must be some distance on their road by this time."
"Then we must push on all the faster," said the lieutenant. "I should like to catch the fellows before the Indians take their scalps; although, when we have got them, it will be difficult to know what to do with them, as they will delay me while they move slowly along on foot."
"Send them back to us; we will soon show them how to use their picks and spades," said Bartle.
After the usual hand-shaking at parting, and the lieutenant had once more lifted his cap to Clarice, who stood at the door watching us, we set off down the hill, each of us leading a baggage mule by the bridle.