till the bands that have gone up the other valleys join them. No doubt,
as soon as they had made out our tracks again, they sent a kipple of men
off to fetch them back, but I reckon they wouldn't have seen them till
they got four or five miles down, and by that time the other bands would
have been as much farther up the side-valleys, and the messengers would
have a long ride before they overtook them--ten or twelve miles,
maybe--and they would have all that to come down again, so they would be
pretty well four hours before they had joined the first band, and in
four hours it will be dark enough for Dave to draw off."

"There they go again!"

Shot after shot echoed among the cliffs. The gorge extended for another
mile, and then widened rapidly. A mile and a half farther the sides were
clad with trees, and the slope, although still steep, was, Zeke said,
possible for horses to scramble up.

"They will go up there safe enough," he said, "five of them with nothing
to carry, and the other four ain't heavy loaded. You see them two trees
standing alone on the crest there?"

"I see them, Zeke."

"Well, that is to be your mark. You will make them out plainly enough in
the moonlight. I shall be just down beyond them. I need not tell you to
be keerful how you go when you get beyond the shelter of the trees
below. Dave will know all about that. Now you can be off back again."

Dick started back at a run, and in less than half an hour joined the
other three among the rocks.