The supply wagon reached the inland turn before its rear guide received the change signal. It stopped at the marker while the two carts behind it closed the gap. No one had been hurt, but the road now held all three wagons nose to tail.
Oren looked at the route board. “The signal reached the first cart. The last guide was too far behind to see it.”
Tew came up the footpath with his courier bag. He had taken the route from the ridge relay to Pinehook the day before.
“Send a runner along the upper path,” he said. “The lantern may take time to reach the next marker, but the footpath comes out behind the rear wagon.”
“How long?” Wei asked.
“For a loaded runner, longer than the direct track. Still faster than waiting for the relay to answer twice.”
Oren sent one trainee up the footpath to test it. Pell followed at a distance with a water flask, while Tew stayed at the ford approach to see how much time the wagon needed to reach the water.
The trainee returned before the last cart had reached the ford. He was breathing hard and had mud up one trouser leg.
