He could carry me a hundred miles by noon to-morrow." "Mine's not exactly a plough horse," said Harry, as he stroked the mane of his own splendid bay, one especially detailed for him on this errand.
"If yours can go a hundred miles by noon to-morrow so can mine." "Suppose, then, we go a little faster." "Suits me." The riders spoke a word or two.

The two grand horses stretched out their necks, and they sped away southward.

For a while they rode over the road by which they had come.

It was yet early twilight and they saw many marks of their passage, a broken-down wagon, a dead horse, an exploded caisson, and now and then something from which they quickly turned away their eyes.
Dalton knew the roads well, and at nightfall they bore in toward the right.

They had already come a long distance, and in the darkness they went more slowly.
"I think there's a farmhouse not much further on," said Dalton, "and we'll ask there for information.