One would have naturally expected that the two moccasined gentry would have been only too glad to do as they were told; but they were truculent, surly fellows, both, and had been fretting all morning over the simple way in which they had been trapped, and so were inclined to make themselves disagreeable.  Bastien Lagrange, who had always known them as two particularly tricky, unreliable customers, had preserved a discreet silence during the long drive, despite their endeavours to drag some information out of him.  From what they knew of Douglas they felt in no way apprehensive of their personal safety, so, after the manner of mean men, they determined to take advantage of his magnanimity to work out their revenge.  Of Jacques, however, they stood in awe.  They knew that if it were not for the presence of the rancher and his daughter that gentleman would very soon make short work of them.  The cunning wretches knew exactly how far they could go with the British.

They began by grumbling at having been forced to accompany their captors so far, and asked for the fire-arms that had been taken from them.  One of them even supplemented this modest request by pointing out that they were destitute of ammunition.  Jacques could stand their impudence no longer, so, taking the speaker by the shoulders, he gave him an unexpected and gratuitous start along the trail.  The two stayed no longer to argue, but kept on their way, muttering ugly threats against their late captors.  In a few minutes more they had disappeared round a turn of the trail.

The party proceeded on its way again.  After going a few hundred yards they branched on to a side trail, which led into hilly and wooded country.  Passing through a dense avenue of pines in a deep, narrow valley, they came to a few log huts nestling in the shadow of a high cliff.  There was a corral [Footnote:  Corral = yard.] hard by with a stack of hay at one end.  They approached it cautiously.  Having satisfied themselves that the huts concealed no lurking foes, it was resolved that they should unhitch, give the horses a rest, and continue their journey a couple of hours later.

Jacques put one of his great shoulders to the door of the most habitable-looking log hut and burst it open.  Dorothy entered with him.  The place had evidently belonged to half-breeds.  It was scrupulously clean, and in the fairly commodious kitchen, with its open fire-place at one end, they found a supply of fuel ready to their hand.

Whilst Jacques assisted the rancher and Lagrange in foddering the horses, Dorothy busied herself with preparations for a meal.