"The top av the mornin' t'ye," it said, "an' shure an'
I thought I'd be here as soon as you."

It was Rory, who, after many adventures in dodging about
the village, and seeing Jacques and the two women servants
safely past the lax cordon of rebels, without taking
advantage of the situation to take refuge in the Fort
himself, had come back to his beloved dogs with a
presentiment that something had gone wrong with the
others, and that his services might be required. He was
singularly right.

Bastien nearly jumped out of his blanket suit with terror
when he heard this strange voice. He had seized poor
Dorothy with reckless temerity on the previous night when
he was surrounded by his own people, but now that he had
to deal with a white man he was not quite so brave. But
Douglas speedily reassured him, and he busied himself in
hitching up a team.

The rancher and Rory speedily compared notes.

"It will be light in another hour," said Douglas, not a
little impatiently, "and I can't make out why Pasmore
doesn't come on, unless he's got into trouble. As you
tell me, and as he would know himself, it would be useless
trying to get to the Fort. I don't like the idea of going
on ahead, as he told me to be sure and do, while he may
be in need of help."