"I hope you will be with us," said Coronado.

"Everything goes wrong," exclaimed the annoyed lieutenant. "Here are some
of my stores damaged, and I have had to ask for a board of survey. I
couldn't possibly leave for two days yet, even if my recruits should
arrive."

"How very unfortunate!" groaned Coronado. "My dear fellow, we had counted
on you."

"Lieutenant Thurstane, can't you overtake us?" inquired Clara.

Thurstane wanted to kneel down and thank her, while Coronado wanted to
throw something at her.

"I will try," promised the officer, his fine, frank, manly face
brightening with pleasure. "If the thing can be done, it will be done."

Coronado, while hoping that he would be ordered by the southern route, or
that he would somehow break his neck, had the superfine brass to say,
"Don't fail us, Lieutenant."

In spite of the managements of the Mexican to keep Clara and Thurstane
apart, the latter succeeded in getting an aside with the young lady.

"So you take the northern trail?" he said, with a seriousness which gave
his blue-black eyes an expression of almost painful pathos. Those eyes
were traitors; however discreet the rest of his face might be, they
revealed his feelings; they were altogether too pathetic to be in the head