Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/234



and Joseph were too inexperienced to conceal their astonishment at the man's words. For a moment they gazed at him in silence, and then Robert hastily rising from his seat exclaimed, "Do you mean what you say? Were Josh and Russell really here?"

"Josh was here an' there was a man with him."

"And you think they were looking for us?"

"Accordin' t' th' description they gave of the men an' the horses they were after, I should say they were."

"How long have they been gone?" demanded Joseph.

"They left about a half an hour before ye came."

"Which way did they go?"

"They went on ahead. Now, boys," added the old man, with an abrupt change in his manner, "ye 've got t' look out right smart or they 'll get ye. Ye can stay here t'day an'