"I told you I suspected those trackers of being in league with the blacks, and I have no doubt your fellow led you purposely astray, in order to give them an opportunity of cutting us off before you could arrive to our assistance.

I suppose the other party has been misled in the same way.

It is fortunate, indeed, that you made up your mind to ride for our smoke when you did.

A quarter of an hour later, and you would have found only our bodies, and would probably have been ambushed in turn." "Yes, it has been a close thing, indeed," Mr.Blount said.

"I was wrong, after what you told me, to trust that black scoundrel so entirely; but I own it never entered my mind that he was leading us astray." By this time they had reached the fire, which was blazing high.
"How are you all ?" Reuben asked.