"Last night. He gave Sancho about a dozen pounds of hard bread, filled
his canteen with water which Aunt Martha had filtered through sand,
and asked me to attend to the odometer, and rode off in the darkness.
Don't you really believe the boys will return, sir?"
"God grant they may," I answered; "but it is very doubtful."
Here was fresh trouble--trouble the whole command shared, but which
rested heaviest upon Captain Bayard and myself. We were answerable to
Colonel Burton for the manner in which we executed his trust.
"Ride down the valley," said the captain to me after I had concluded
my account of what Brenda had said, "and look for Lieutenant Hubbell's
camp. It cannot be far from here. Tell him to send me three days'
grain for forty animals. While you are gone I will select a camp
farther down stream, and within easy communication with him, park the
train, and establish order. We will remain here until we know what has
become of the boys."
I found the New Mexican cavalry camp three miles down the river, and
obtained the desired forage.
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