It was dawn when he woke. He started to his feet, contritely,
wondering who of the others had sacrificed sleep for him. But Enoch
was the only one awake. Milton was tossing and muttering but his eyes
were closed. Jonas lay with his feet in last night's ashes. Agnew was
curled up at Milton's feet. Harden was not to be seen. Enoch hurried
to the river's edge. A sheet of paper fluttered from the split end of
a stake that had been stuck in a conspicuous spot. It was unaddressed
and Enoch opened it.
"I have gone to find Forrester, and help him out. I took one-third of
the grub and one of the guns and a third of the shells. If we have
good luck, you'll hear of us at the Ferry. I have the detail map of
this section.
"C. L. HARDEN."
Enoch looked from the note up to the golden pink of the sky. Far above
the butte an eagle soared. The dawn wind ruffled his hair. He drew a
deep breath and turned to wake Jonas and Agnew, and show them the note.
"Did you folks go to sleep when I did?" asked Enoch when they had read
the note in silence.
Jonas and Agnew nodded.
"Then he must have left at once. No fire has been built out in front."
"Well, it's solved the problem of who walks," remarked Agnew, drily.
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