The strangers appeared irritated by their failure. An hour passed in the
keenest scrutiny, and nothing had transpired which brought them any nearer
to their object. That they had commenced the search with more than usually
confident anticipations of a favorable result, might have been gathered
from the boldness of tone assumed by their chief, and the pointed
personal allusions in which, from time to time, he indulged, often too
freely, and always at some expense to the loyalty of the Heathcotes. But
when he had completed the circuit of the buildings, having entered all
parts from their cellars to the garrets, his spleen became so strong as,
in some degree, to get the better of a certain parade of discretion, which
he had hitherto managed to maintain in the midst of all his levity.
"Hast seen nothing, Mr. Hallam?" he demanded of the individual left on
watch, as they crossed the court in retiring from the last of the
out-buildings; "or have those traces which led us to this distant
settlement proved false? Captain Heathcote, you have seen that we come not
without sufficient warranty, and it is in my power to say we come not
without sufficient----"
Checking himself as if about to utter more than was prudent, he suddenly
cast an eye on the block-house, and demanded its uses.
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