"Come and have a stroll out here," he said; and he led me out through
the gateway and down toward the river.
It seemed to me as if he were waiting for me to talk to him, for he was
very silent; and at last, as I suggested that it was growing late, he
turned back toward the Fort, whose gates we had just reached, when I
suddenly became aware of a figure standing there.
"Mr Raydon," I said.
"Yes. Been having a walk?"
"Down as far as the river," replied Gunson. "By the way," he continued
sharply, "what should you say to my trying your streams about here?"
I saw Mr Raydon start slightly, but his voice sounded quite calm as he
replied--
"That you had better follow out your original plans."
"You would not recommend me to try?"
"Decidedly not."
We all went in, and after sitting for a time, Gunson rose to go to rest.
Quong had a famous breakfast ready next morning, of which I too partook;
and an hour later we saw Gunson once more on his way, Mr Raydon
accompanying us, till with a careless wave of the hand the prospector
went off, and we returned to the Fort.
That visit seemed to do me good. It was as if I had had a fillip, and
during the next few days I felt a return of my old vigour--a feeling
which made me restless and eager to be out in the sunshine all day long.
I found myself eating, too, almost ravenously, and my sleep at nights,
instead of being broken and feverish, grew to be long and restful. But
somehow I did not feel happy, for Mr Raydon, though always pleasant and
polite, was less warm, and he looked at me still in a suspicious way
that made me feel uncomfortable.
In other respects everything went on as usual, till one day, about a
fortnight after Gunson's departure, Mr Raydon said to me at breakfast--
"Do you feel strong enough to go for a week's journey?"
"Oh yes," I said eagerly, for I was beginning to long for something in
the way of change.
"It means walking every step of the way," he said, smiling at my
eagerness.
"Oh, I can walk again well now," I said. "Dean and I were climbing up
the first west mountain yesterday--that one," I said, pointing out of
the window. "I don't know how many hours we were, but it was dark when
we came back."
"Well then, we'll try. I shall take Grey to try and lighten our loads a
little, but we shall not go very far down the river."
"You are going down the river?" I said, as I saw Esau prick up his
ears.
"Yes; I have two or three spots in my mind's eye that would be suitable
for a home for my sister, and I want to see if they will do. Perhaps
you noticed them as you came--places that you would naturally pick out
for camping as evening came on."
"I can remember several at the mouths of little streams, or below
falls," I said excitedly. "One or two were quite like bits of parks,
with great sweeping branched pine-trees growing near."
"Good memory, Mayne," he said, smiling. "Well, I have made my
arrangements. Your Chinaman shall go with us to cook, and we will
select three or four spots; and afterwards, when these travellers come,
we can take them to see the selection, and they can choose which they
like."
"How soon shall you start, sir?" I said.
"This morning. It is a leisure period for me. No Indians are likely to
come for some time; and I can leave my people to take care of the place
till we return. You feel that you can manage the walking?"
"Oh yes," I cried. "I am getting stronger every day."
"That's right. Dean, my lad, fetch Quong, and let's see what sort of a
load of flour, tea, and sugar we can pack up for him. I can easily
supply our little camp with meat."
"Then there will be some hunting and shooting too?" I said, as Esau
hurried out to find Quong.
"Oh yes, for the larder," replied Mr Raydon, speaking more in his old
fashion now. "Come, you are beginning to look quite yourself, my boy.
I was beginning to be afraid I should have nothing but a broken-down
invalid to show my sister."
"I feel more like I did," I said, with my cheeks flushing.
"Be thankful then, my boy, for you had a very narrow escape. Let me
see; we must not overload ourselves, but I must have powder and bullets,
as well as my rifle. A blanket each, of course, and our knives. That
will be nearly all we need take, unless you lads bring a line or two and
try for some trout."
He began chatting then about Mr John and his sister, and of how great a
change it would be for her from a London life.
"But health is the first consideration," he said, smiling. "A palace is
little more than an infirmary to a sick person, and out here a snug
cottage such as we can soon run up will become a palace to one who
recovers health. Isn't Master Dean a long time gone? Oh, here he is.
Well, where is Quong?"
"Can't find him anywhere, sir, nor his bundle neither."
"What? Absurd! He cannot have gone out. He cooked the breakfast. Did
any one see him go?"
"I asked several of the men and women, sir, and they had not seen him."
"Asleep somewhere perhaps, as he feels that his work is done. Here, we
must find him, or he will throw my arrangements all wrong, and we shall
have to wait till another day. It's a pity I did not speak last night,
but I was not sure then."
"I'll soon find him," I said.
"Yes, do, my lad, while I see to the rifle and ammunition."
"Come along, Esau," I said; and he followed me as I hurried out.
"Well, where are you going?" grumbled Esau. "I suppose you are very
clever, but I should like to know how you are going to find him!"
"But you have not searched everywhere."
"I've searched everywhere that he was likely to be," replied Esau.