“Yes, that was so,” Dominique said, “but it seems that it was a mistake.  Still we had cause for alarm, for the other vessel followed us strangely.  However, it is all explained now, and I have been sent with this message, because the captain thought that if he sent a white sailor they would not give him the information.”

“Do you know, Sebastian?” the old man asked his son.

“Yes, they turned off to the right two miles further on.”

“Look here, boy,” Dominique said, “we were promised twenty dollars if we took the message straight.  Now, if you will go with us and find out, we will give you five of them.  As we are strangers to the people here, they might not answer our questions; but if you go and say that you have to carry the message, no doubt they will tell you which way they have gone.”

The lad jumped up.

“I will go with you,” he said; “but perhaps when we get there you will not give me the money.”

“Look here,” Dominique said, taking three dollars from his pocket.  “I will leave these with your father, and will hand you the other two as soon as we get within sight of the place where they are.”

The lad was quite satisfied.  Five dollars was more than he could earn by two months’ work.  As soon as they went out, Dominique whispered to one of the boatmen to go back and tell Frank what had taken place, and to beg him to follow at some distance behind.  Whenever they took a fresh turning, one of the boatmen would always be left until he came up.

Frank had some difficulty in understanding the boatman’s French, and it was rather by his gestures than his words that he gathered his meaning.  As soon as the message was given the negro hurried on until he overtook Dominique.

“I am sorry now that we did not bring Pedro,” Frank said.  “However, I think we made out what he had to say.  Dominique has got someone to go with him to do the questioning, as he arranged with me; and he will leave one or other of the men every time he turns off from the road he is following.  That will be a very good arrangement.  So far we have been most fortunate.  We know now that we are following them, and it will be hard if we don’t manage to keep the clue now that we have once got hold of it.”

When they came to the road that branched off to the right, the other boatman was waiting.  He pointed up the road and then ran on silently ahead.  No fresh turn was made for a long distance.  Twice they were stopped by one of the blacks, who managed to inform them that Dominique and the guide were making inquiries at a hut ahead.

The road had now become a mere track, and was continually mounting.  Other tracks had branched off, leading, Frank supposed, to small hill villages.  After going some ten miles, the lad told Dominique that it was useless for him to go further, for that there were no more huts near the track.  Beyond the fact that the two women were on horseback when they passed the last hut, nothing was learned there.