After passing him for the sixth time the cattle came to a halt; and then the strangest part of this strange scene was enacted.  The horseman with the led steers, whom, by this time, Horrocks had almost forgotten, came leisurely upon the field of action.  No instructions were given.  The whole thing was done in almost absolute silence.  It seemed as if long practice had perfected the method of procedure.

The horseman advanced to the brink of the muskeg, exactly opposite to the bluff where the captive was tied, and with him the two led steers.  Horrocks held his breath—­his excitement was intense.  The swarthy drivers roused the tired cattle and headed them towards the captive steers.  Horrocks saw the boyish rider urge his horse fearlessly on to the treacherous surface of the keg.  The now docile and exhausted cattle followed leisurely.  There was no undue bustle or haste.  It was a veritable “follow my leader.”  Where it was good enough for the captive leaders to go it was good enough for the weary beasts to follow, and so, as the boy rider moved forward, the great herd followed in twos and threes.  The four drivers remained until the end, and then, as the last steer set foot on the dreadful mire, they too joined in the silent procession.

Horrocks exerted all his prairie instinct as he watched the course of that silent band.  He was committing to memory, as far as he was capable, the direction of the path across the keg, for, when opportunity offered, he was determined to follow up his discovery and attempt the journey himself.  He fancied in his own secret heart that Retief had at last overreached himself, and in thus giving away his secret he was paving the way to his own capture.

It was not long before the cattle and their drivers passed out of sight, but Horrocks continued to watch, so that he should lose no chance detail of interest.  At length, however, he found that his straining gaze was useless, and all further interest passed out of his lonely vigil.

Now he busied himself with plans for his future movements, when he should once more be free.  And in such thought the long night passed, and the time drew on towards dawn.

The surprises of the night were not yet over, however, for just before the first streaks of daylight shot athwart the eastern sky he saw two horsemen returning across the muskeg.  He quickly recognized them as being the raider himself and the boyish rider who had led the cattle across the mire.  They came across at a good pace, and as they reached the bank the officer was disgusted to see the boy ride off in a direction away from the settlement, and the raider come straight towards the bluff.  Horrocks was curious about the boy who seemed so conversant with the path across the mire, and was anxious to have obtained a clearer view of him.

The raider drew his horse up within a few yards of the captive.  Horrocks had a good view of the man’s commanding, eagle face.  In spite of himself he could not help but feel a strange admiration for this lawless Breed.