"What? We are followed then?"

"There are men on the road; two, as I told you before. He can't
get by them--IF that's what he wants to do."

"But I thought they fell back. We didn't hear them after you
joined us."

"No; they didn't come on. They didn't have to. This is the only
road down the mountain, and it's one you've got to follow or go
tumbling over the precipice. All they've got to do is to wait for
him; and that's what I tried to tell him, but he just shook his
arm at me and rode on. He might better have waited--for company."

Mr. Black cast a glance behind him, saw that the door of the house
was almost closed and ventured to put another question.

"What did he ask you when he came out here?"

"Why we had chosen such an early hour to bring him his father's
message."

"And what did you say?"

"Wa'al, I said that there was another fellow down my way awful
eager to see him, too; and that you were mortal anxious to get to
him first. That was about it, wasn't it, sir?"

"Yes. And how did he take that?"