at hand, while their horses were allowed to stroll along the path, eating
grass, and at the expiration of that time the animals could no longer
either be seen or heard.

"Go and bring them back, Jim!" Haines said, in a peremptory tone. "It
would be a hard job for us if they should stray too far."

The half-breed hesitated an instant, as if undecided whether to obey this
command, and then, rising slowly to his feet, he slouched down the path
lazily.

After the brief conversation which had followed the capture of Walter,
neither of the men had spoken until this moment; but as soon as his
comrade disappeared among the bushes, Haines said, in what he intended
should sound like a friendly tone,-

"I am sorry to see a promising young man like you, Neal, led astray by
these fanatics, who dream of opposing his majesty's just and wise laws.
You have too much solid sense to train in any such company."

"You seem to have a remarkably good opinion of me," Walter said, grimly.

"So I have, lad, so I have. I know you have been hoping to build a mill of
your own on the Pascataqua, and am interested in the project, for it is a
sensible one: there is plenty of money to be made in that section."

"According to appearances now I shan't reap any very large harvest this
year."

"It depends upon yourself. If you had kept proper company there would have