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  CHAPTER XXVI

  WHAT WOODCRAFT TOLD

  "There it is again, Paul!"

  "As sure as you live we're being followed, boys!" and Wallace allowed hisvoice to rise just above a hoarse whisper when he made this energeticremark.

  The three were crouching in the bushes.

  As yet Paul had not caught a glimpse of the object which seemed todisturb both of his friends; but he was looking sharply now.

  "Why, yes, I do believe you are right, fellows," he said, calmly.

  "Well, you take it mighty cool, I must say," declared Jack.

  "Because I see no reason to get flurried over such a little thing, boys,"was what the leader replied.

  "Little thing, when you know Ted Slavin and a bunch of his toadies cameup here to get all the glory they could out of this business! Don't youunderstand, Paul, that if they thought they could down us, they'd just aslief waylay us in the woods, and put an end to all our expectations?"

  This was a very unusual way of talking for Wallace, but it only went toshow how the boy was worked up over the situation, and made nervous bythe continuous strain.

  "But how do you know those moving figures are Ted and Ward, or even anyof that crowd?" demanded Paul.

  The others hesitated, and finally Jack remarked:

  "Well, for a fact we don't know; but you remember we saw signs that evenyou declared proved what I'm saying--that some of those fellows havewandered as far as this."

  "Yes, that's a fact. I'm not apt to forget it. Now, how many figures haveyou seen dodging along back there, just as if they didn't care to beseen--yet?"

  "How about it, Wallace?" queried Jack, doubtfully.

  "Two, anyhow; I'm sure of that," came the hesitating reply.

  "Yes, at least two, Paul," the other echoed.

  "And we are three. That's one reason why I don't see any reason forgetting nervous over the discovery," observed the leader, his voice nowapparently showing a trace of humor that was bubbling up near thesurface.

  "But where there are two there may be more, Paul?" objected Jack.

  "Yes, possibly eight or ten more," went on the calm leader.

  "Goodness! and you say there is no need of our worrying?" exclaimedWallace.

  "Yes, explain what you mean, old fellow. Eight or ten would give us awarm time don't you think?" demanded Wallace, gripping Paul's armfiercely.

  "Hardly, if they were all sound asleep around a dying campfire, dead tothe world," quoth Paul, chuckling now.

  But the others uttered low but vehement exclamations.

  "Don't you see what he means, Wallace?" asked Jack.

  "Sure. What a couple of fools you and I were," came the scathing reply.

  "We've been followed by two of our own boys. They must have watched uscrawl out of camp, and not wanting us to have all the fun, here they comecreeping after us. What shall we do, Paul?" Jack queried in the other'sear; for the flitting figures were now very near.

  "Open our arms and welcome the recruits. If they're just bound to joinforces with us, why should we make any kick. I'm glad of it."

  Then raising his voice a little, Paul continued:

  "Hey! there!"

  They could hear the murmur of voices. Evidently the two shadows weretalking it over, and must have arrived at some quick conclusion, forpresently same a hail.

  "Hello! Paul, Jack!"

  "It's Bobolink, for one," muttered Jack, immediately.

  "Then it's a sure thing William is tagging along," said Wallace.

  "Come on, both of you fellows. No danger!" called Paul, softly.

  After that assurance the shadows boldly advanced, and quickly joined thethree who stood under the spreading oak.

  It proved just as Jack and Wallace had predicted, for the newcomersturned out to be William and Bobolink. They were chuckling, as thoughconsidering it a good joke.

  "Thought you'd give us the quiet sneak, and gobble all the gloryyourselves, hey?" said the latter, as they bustled up; "but William andmyself had it all fixed. We were on to your curves, all right."

  "Yes," broke in William, just there; "didn't we see you with your headstogether a lot, and wasn't we wise to what was in the wind. Bobolink wasawake, and it was my turn to snooze. He gave me a kick in the seventh ribthat made me think a comet had dropped on me. But we showed up game. Now,what's doing, fellows; and do we get a grab at the scout?"

  "If you both feel like trotting around a whole lot more, why you're justas welcome as a shower in spring," asserted Paul, promptly.

  "I should say, yes," declared Jack; "and if the whole bunch could standthe racket we wouldn't have crept away like we did. But most of the poorfellows are all in, and dead tired, and we thought it would be a shame toinvite them to hike some more."

  "Did you bring your glim along?" asked Paul.

  "Our lanterns? Well, William didn't want to, but I insisted. I knew thatif we missed you fellows, and lost ourselves in the bush, they'd come inmighty fine for company," returned Bobolink.

  "Then let's light up. After that we'll spread out, and try to find thetrail," with which remark Paul set the example.

  Presently five lanterns glowed like giant fireflies.

  "Think it lies in this direction, Paul?" asked William.

  "I'm sure of it. After that man's track came alongside the print of thelittle chap's shoe, there was no more wandering about; but it struckstraight ahead. That told me the trail was heading for a house," came theready reply.

  "A house. Say, is there any other place up here but the old farmalongside the mill pond? I don't seem to remember any," remarkedBobolink.

  "And that's just where I expect we'll bring up sooner or later," observedPaul.

  "Then why not put for the old place at full speed right away?" suggestedWilliam, always impetuous.

  "To do that we'd have to drop the trail again. And besides, what doesan hour, or even two of them, matter in the end? Slow but sure is thesuccessful scout's motto, boys. Hello I look here, what's this?"

  Paul thrust his lantern down close to the ground. Bending over to look,the others could see the plain impression of a child's little shoe. Itwas heading due north, just as many similar tracks had been of late.

  "Now if you look at this you'll see it's nearly crushed out by the bigprint of a man's foot; while just beyond the child has stepped into theimpression made by the man. That can mean only one thing; the two weregoing on in company, and for a minute he let go the little one's hand, sothat first the child was in front, and then behind."

  "I guess you're right, Paul. But see here, what does this mean? The smalltrack has dropped out altogether," remarked William.

  "That is where the big fellow picks the boy up in his arms, and iscarrying him," said Wallace, before Paul could answer.

  "Right you are, that is just what happened. To tell the truth I don'tknow why he didn't do that before. He must have been toting some bundlealong, and couldn't well carry the boy too. Come back a bit. I want tolook around," and Paul retraced his steps until he had reached the spotwhere a confusion of tracks met his gaze.

  He followed the man's trail a few paces, and found himself under a tree.Raising his lantern he carefully examined the bark of the trunk, andfinding several fresh scratches, pursued his investigations still higher.

  One accommodating limb grew rather low. In fact a man could, by reachingup his arms, clasp it easily; and that was what Paul believed had beendone.

  "Give me a push, somebody; and then hand up my lantern," he said,clasping his arms about the tree as well as he was able.

  Ten seconds later William was handing him up the light; after which Paulbegan to ascend slowly, looking about him as though constantly on thewatch for signs that would tell another had preceded him.

  "All right; it's here. I'm coming down, fellows," he soon called out.

  Reaching that friendly lower limb he held something in view.

  "Take hold of this, Bobolink, and handle it carefully, because we don'tknow what's in the packa
ge. It might be dynamite!" he remarked.

  "Oh! I hope not!" exclaimed the one in whose arms the bundle reposed; andhe did not look any too happy at the prospect ahead.

  "Don't be silly," said Paul, as he dropped beside them. "But whateverit may be, we might as well hide it in a new place. Then if the fellowshould come back here to get it, he's going to meet with adisappointment, that's all."

  "But what d'ye think it is?" argued the one who clasped the large packagein his arms, though with evident reluctance.

  "That is none of our business just now. It may be honest enough, and we'dget into a peck of trouble if we peeked. So let's just chuck it in somehollow stump as we go along, and muffle our trail behind us so he can'tfind where we put it. Later on I think I know some one who will be gladto look into what it contains."

  "Perhaps I do too," remarked Jack; and the two chums looked at eachother, with mutual astonishment marked on their faces.

  "Oh!" remarked Paul, "are you on, too? Did he tell you the secret?"

  "I happened to pick up an envelope he dropped, and wondered whose it was;so I went around, asking. He laughed when I came to him, and told mea little bit of news that surprised me. But Paul, he asked me not tobreathe a word, even to you. That was a mean joke, when you knew allalong," Jack complained.

  "Remember the red car on the road, and the two men in it?"

  "Oh! did they have anything to do with his coming up here? Yes, now thatI think of it, you were pretty much excited over that same red car. Youguessed something then, didn't you, Paul?"

  "He had asked me to watch out for a red car with a khaki-colored top,that might have two men in it, one of them owning to a glass eye."

  "Good gracious!" said Jack; "that tall chap did have a bogus eye, for afact. And when you left me in town you hurried around to the post-officeto find Mr. Pender, didn't you? I see it all now. He never came home forsupper, as far as I know. I reckon he must have got a rig of some sort,and put out for the mill pond. But what about Solus Smithers--they askedafter him, you know?"

  Paul pointed to the marks on the ground.

  "Unless I'm wrong those are his tracks. I noticed that he had big feet atthe time he came out and ordered us to clear away from the pond, andthreatened us with his gun. Yes, perhaps he got home to find visitorswaiting for him," Paul observed, just as though he could read all thesethings from the trail.

  "Then we go on, do we?" asked Bobolink, eagerly.

  He had been listening to what passed between his two comrades, and whileit was partly Greek to him, enough of the truth filtered through to givehim a creepy sensation, as though cold water were being poured down hisback.

  Bobolink was no coward though, and while he shivered it was more througha delicious frame of mind over the chance of an adventure than becausehe felt fear.

  "Straight on, as long as these lanterns hold out. I see yours has begunto flicker already, William. There, it's puffed out; and my own isn'tnear as strong a light as it was."

  Paul seemed to be a true prophet, for inside of five minutes the lanterns"gave up the ghost," the last to expire being that of Jack.

  "What's doing now?" demanded Jack.

  "Gather up all the matches in the crowd. Then I'll strike them one byone," was Paul's immediate response.

  This emergency torch lasted for a little while. Finally the last matchwas gone, and still they were some distance away from the mill pond.

  "Listen," said William, suddenly; with a thrill in his voice; "whateverdo you suppose that is?"