A good feed and four hours' rest had been given to their horses,
and when the moon rose they had started. Two hours after leaving
they had seen a dark mass approaching, and had prepared for an
encounter; but it had turned out to be the animals, who were going
toward home at a steady pace. There seemed, they said, to be a good
many horses among them.
Assured by this that some encounter or other had taken place with
the Indians, they had ridden on with much anxiety, and were greatly
relieved at finding Mr. Hardy and his boys safe.
The whole party now proceeded at a rapid pace toward home, which
they reached in four hours' riding. As they came in sight of the
watch-tower Mr. Herries separated himself from the others, and rode
thirty or forty yards away to the left, returning to the others.
This he repeated three times, greatly to Mr. Hardy's surprise.
"What are you doing, Herries?" he asked.
"I am letting them know you are all well. We agreed upon that
signal before we started. They would be able to notice one separate
himself from the rest in that way as far as they could see us, and
long before they could make out any other sort of signal."
In a short time three black spots could be seen upon the plain in
the distance. These the boys very shortly pronounced to be Mrs.
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