Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/255

A TERRIBLE DTSCOVERY. 22/ It was a weary march that day ; a gênerai feeling of dépression spread învoluntarily from one to another ; hardly conscious to herself of her weariness, Mrs. Weldon was exhibiting manifest symptoms of lassitude ; and it was only Dick's moral energy and sensé of duty that kept him from succumbing to the prevailîng déjection. About four o'clock, Tom noticed something lying în the grass, and stooping down he picked up a kind of knife ; it was of peculiar shape, being very wide and flat in the blade, while its handle, which was of ivory, was ornamented with a good deal of clumsy carving. He carried it at once to Dick, who, when he had scrutinized it, held it up to Harris, with the remark, — " There must be natives not far off." " Quite rîght, my young friend ; the hacienda must be a very few miles away, — but yet, but yet . . . ." He hesitated. " You don't mean that you are not sure of your way," said Dick sharply." " Not exactly that," replîed Harris ; " yet în takîng this short eut across the forest, I am inclined to think I am a mile or so out of the way. Perhaps I had better walk on a little way, and look about me." No ; you do not leave us hère," crîed Dick firmly. Not against your will ; but remember, I do not under- take to guide you in the dark." " We must spare you the necessity for that. I can answer for it that Mrs. Weldon will raise no objection to spending another night in the open air. We can start off to-morrow moming as early as we like, and if the distance be only what you represent, a few hours will easily accomplish it." " As you please," answered Harris with cold civility. Just then, Dingo again burst out into a véhément fit of barking, and it required no small amount of coaxing on Dick's part to make him cease from his noise. It was decided that the hait should be made at once. Mrs. Weldon, as it had been anticîpated, urged nothing against ît, being preoccupied by her immédiate attentions to Jack, who was lying in her arms, suffering from a decided Q 2