The Flood

           ADISTANCEof150milesseparatesFortIndependencefromtheshoresoftheAtlantic.Unlessunexpectedandcertainlyimprobabledelaysshouldoccur,infourdaysGlenarvanwouldrejointheDuncan.ButtoreturnonboardwithoutCaptainGrant,andafterhavingsocompletelyfailedinhissearch,waswhathecouldnotbringhimselftodo.Consequently,whennextdaycame,hegavenoordersfordeparture;theMajortookituponhimselftohavethehorsessaddled,andmakeallpreparations.Thankstohisactivity,nextmorningateighto’clockthelittletroopwasdescendingthegrassyslopesoftheSierra.

           Glenarvan,withRobertathisside,gallopedalongwithoutsayingaword.Hisbold,determinednaturemadeitimpossibletotakefailurequietly.Hisheartthrobbedasifitwouldburst,andhisheadwasburning.Paganel,excitedbythedifficulty,wasturningoverandoverthewordsofthedocument,andtryingtodiscoversomenewmeaning.Thalcavewasperfectlysilent,andleftThaoukatoleadtheway.TheMajor,alwaysconfident,remainedfirmathispost,likeamanonwhomdiscouragementtakesnohold.TomAustinandhistwosailorssharedthedejectionoftheirmaster.Atimidrabbithappenedtorunacrosstheirpath,andthesuperstitiousmenlookedateachotherindismay.

           "Abadomen,"saidWilson.

           "Yes,intheHighlands,"repeatedMulrady.

           "What’sbadintheHighlandsisnotbetterhere,"returnedWilsonsententiously.

           TowardnoontheyhadcrossedtheSierra,anddescendedintotheundulatingplainswhichextendtothesea.