Cole delayed his departure for one extra day. The previous evening, Colonel Astley gave up his struggle, and Cole, along with the entire regiment, stood in silence to pay their respects as the Commander was buried with all ceremonial honours.
Later, with the overriding mood of the camp grim, Cole met the two soldiers ordered to accompany him on his quest to bring Cairns to justice. They were young, unseasoned privates, perhaps one or two years older than his purported eighteen years. By the look of their smooth faces, Cole wondered if they, too, had lied to get themselves into uniform.
Their conversation was brief and, with their horses well prepared with rations, water, ammunition, the ubiquitous blanket roll, and extra food stored in Cole’s saddlebags for his Indian friends, the three
