Moreover, the
fact that Dick and Surajah rode close by her side, and would be able
to catch her, at once, if she swayed in the saddle, gave her
confidence.
"It is much better than I thought it would be," she said. "It is quite
a pleasant motion. I will go faster, if you like."
"No, there is no occasion for that," Dick replied. "This is the pace
the horses are most accustomed to, and they will go on longer, at it,
than at any other. There is no fear of pursuit, and we have all day
before us."
After a quarter of a mile's riding, they came to a wood.
"We must turn in here," Dick said. "We are going treasure hunting. We
hid those caskets, that were given us by the ladies, directly after we
got them; and we are going to dig them up now, and take them with us."
They rode at a walk, now, till they came to a very large baobab tree,
growing by the path they were following.
"Here we turn off."
"There is a man there," Surajah exclaimed, when they had ridden a few
yards farther.
Dick checked his horse.
"It is Pertaub," he said, a moment later, and in a minute they were
beside the Hindoo.
"I could not sleep, thinking of you, Sahib," the latter said, as they
came up. "So I came across here, partly to help you dig up the
caskets, and partly that I might see you, and assure myself that, so
far, all had gone well.
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