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The Golden Canyon - Contents: the Golden Canyon; the Stone Chest by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
page 66 of 158 (41%)
"I should not wonder if we came to that," Zeke said; "but we will hold
on for a few hours, and, anyhow, before we leave them we will hide them
bags. Possibly we might come back some day; anyhow, we could each tote
along what we have got in our blankets; it aint as if we were going to
run all the way from here to the settlements. Twelve pound weight aint
nothing one way or the other."

"No, nor twenty," Boston agreed. "I vote if we do have to leave the
horses we slip open one of the bags and take another eight pounds or so
each. Twenty pounds aint much for a man to carry besides his gun and
ammunition and a chunk of bread. Well, let the rest of you lie down and
get a couple of hours' sleep. I was off once last night."

"All right; wake us directly you see a change in the sky. We should give
the horses a chunk of bread and a drink each before we start."

It seemed to the lads that they had been asleep for five minutes only
when they were roused. It was but the work of a few minutes to adjust
the loads again and to give the horses the bread and water. It was still
hardly light in the ravine when they were ready to start, but all were
too anxious to get on to delay a moment. As soon as the day had
broadened a little they were able to pick their way along on the
comparatively level ground beyond the edge of the water-course, and the
horses were put into a trot.

"If we can keep on like this," Joe said, "the Apaches won't be up to us
before night. They will know that we have got nigh twelve hours' start
of them, and though they may start off fast at first, they will soon
settle down into a pace that they can keep up all day."

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