ully aware that no sane engineer would for a single moment dream of
carrying an ordinary railway up that rocky acclivity, while it was well
understood that the rack system of construction was to be avoided, if
possible, upon the score of expense. The probability was that Butler,
upon reaching this point, and finding himself confronted by the
necessity to make a wide detour, or, alternatively, to consider the
question of a tunnel, had struck off, either to the right or to the
left, on a tour of investigation; and there was the chance that,
becoming involved in the maze-like intricacies of his surroundings, he
had decided to camp out for the night rather than risk an accident by
attempting to return in darkness over difficult ground. But this was a
question which Harry felt ought to be settled forthwith, and he
accordingly issued instructions to his peons to search for the spoor of
the party and follow it up. To find the spoor was a very easy matter,
for the last stake had been driven in comparatively soft ground, and
despite the fact that it was by this time almost pitch dark, a short
search, aided by the light of the lanterns, disclosed the hoof prints of
Butlers horse, which led off to the left, and which were followed until
the searchers found themselves on the borders of an extensive pine wood
growing on hard, steeply rising ground over which it was impossible to
trace further the trail in the darkness. This impossibility once
realised, the search was abandoned for the night, and Harry very
reluctantly gave the word for a return to camp, which was reached about
nine o'clock.

At daybreak the next morning the camp was roused, breakfast prepared and
eaten, and, taking with them rations to last until nightfall, the search
party again set out upon their quest, making their way direct to the
spot where the trail had been lost on the previous night, where it was
again picked up without much trouble. It led in straight toward the
heart of the wood, and was followed, with ever-increasing difficulty,
for a distance of about three-quarters of a mile until it was lost on
hard, shaley ground, nor were the utmost efforts of the party equal to
finding it again. After carefully considering the situation, therefore,
Escombe detailed one man, an Indian, to accompany him, and, placing the
remainder of the peons in charge of a man whom he believed he could
trust, with instructions to search the wood thoroughly, returned to the
ou