She had many consultations
to hold with Mrs. Hunter, the Doctor, and Rumzan as to the food
to be taken, and the things that would be absolutely necessary for
camping out; for, as it was possible that the first day's beat would
be unsuccessful, they were to be prepared for at least two days'
absence from home. Two tents were to be taken, one for the gentlemen,
the other for Isobel and Mary Hunter. These, with bedding and camp
furniture, cooking utensils and provisions, were to be sent off
at daybreak, while the party were to start as soon as the heat of
the day was over.
"I wish Bathurst had been coming," Major Hannay said, as, with
Isobel by his side, he drove out of the cantonment. "He seems
to have slipped away from us altogether; he has only been in once
for the last three or four weeks. You haven't had a tiff with him
about anything, have you, Isobel? It seems strange his ceasing so
suddenly to come after our seeing so much of him."
"No, uncle, I have not seen him except when you have. What put such
an idea into your mind?"
"I don't know, my dear; young people do have tiffs sometimes about
all sorts of trifles, though I should not have thought that Bathurst
was the sort of man to do anything of that sort. I don't think that
he likes Forster, and does not care to meet him. I fancy that is
at the bottom of it."
"Very likely," Isobel said innocently, and changed the subject.
It was dark when they reached the appointed spot, and indeed from
the point where they left the road a native with a torch had run
ahead to show them the way.
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