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can have become of the-boys ? " had 

 comprised our host's remarks at 

 quarter hour intervals ever since 

 dark, and he was considering a search 

 party when Nimrod suggested the 

 old device of firing three shots in case 

 they might have missed the road. 

 Soon a feeble halloo called us all to 

 the door, and behold the Cook, a 

 very lame and tired old man hob- 

 bling toward us, alone, with not so 

 much as a Uneeda biscuit in his 

 hand. 



To our questions, tumbled one 

 after another, "Where is Creche? 

 Where is the wagon? What did you 

 do with the horses? Is there any- 

 thing wrong ? " The Cook sat heavily 

 on a chair, took the proffered coffee 



and remarked that he'd "be if" 



he knew or cared where Creche was, 

 that the horses were safe till morning, 

 picketed in a little clearing, he did 

 not rightly know how far as not 

 knowing the road he had "travelled 

 a bit," which being interpreted means 

 he was lost. His story, sifted, 

 smoothed out, and pieced together, 

 was this: 



About three o'clock, Creche while 



