Messenger No. 48 Part 35

This done he went to bed and slept soundly until awakened at six o'clock.

Half an hour later he was at the depot, and took a seat in the smoking-car.

Neither Bob nor Sam were there; but they arrived five minutes before the train left, and seated themselves some distance from Jet.

From that time until considerably past noon the boy could do no more than watch his men; but he was well content, knowing they had no suspicion as to being followed.

Then the end of the first stage of the journey was finished, and the real work of trailing the human game began.

Jet loitered around the station asking questions relative to the best way of getting into the woods, but all the while keeping his eye on the men.

Their movements puzzled him.

Neither appeared to be in any hurry to leave the town.

They also asked a number of questions; but Jet was not near enough to overhear the conversation, and then both went to the hotel.

A boy about his own age was standing near the depot platform eying Jet curiously, and the latter asked, more as an excuse for remaining where he was than anything else.

"Do you know where a fellow could find some good hunting?"

"You'd have to go down to the lake, and strike into the woods most anywhere."

"Where is the lake?"

"Down that road a couple of miles."

"Isn't there any other way of getting into the woods?"

"Not unless you strike through the fields, an' then you'd be goin'

right away from the best hunting. There's a fork in the road a little more than a mile down, an' the people mostly take the right-hand turn.

How far are you countin' on traveling?"

"I don't know; just want to have a little trip."

"I don't reckon you want a guide, eh?"

"I guess I couldn't stand anything quite so expensive. I heard one of them fellers say he wanted, three dollars a day."

"Yes, some of 'em get pretty big prices; but I'd put myself alongside of the best, 'less it comes to deers."

"And how much do you charge?"

"I'll go for nothin', if you'll pay the bills."

"Bills for what?"

"Grub, hire of a boat, powder an' shot, an' sich things."

"Have you got a gun?"

"Of course; but she's not so good as your'n."

"I'll take you along. When will you be ready?"

"In five minutes; I've only got to run home a second to get some things."

"Don't be away any longer than you can help."

The boy started off at full speed; and Jet congratulated himself on having made the arrangement.

"That fellow can do a good deal to help me, and since he lives around here, Bob won't recognize me so quick, because he'll be apt to take me for one of the natives."

Jet's guide returned in a very short time.

He brought with him several fis.h.i.+ng-lines, an old muzzle-loading gun, some cooking utensils, and a small bundle of provisions.

"Now, you've got to buy a lot of grub, an' then we'll have so much to carry that a team will be needed to haul 'em. I know where we can get a boat."

"I'll stay here while you pick out as much as we'll need; but don't spend more'n ten dollars."

"Ten dollars! Why, half of that'll be enough."

"Go ahead, an' call me when you've found out how much the bill is."

"Why don't you come, too?"

"I didn't know but I might see a friend, an' I want to kinder watch out for a while."

The boy hurried away, and returned half an hour later.

"The stuff comes to six dollars an' eighty cents, an' we'll have to pay a dollar to get it hauled down."

Jet was averse to losing sight of the hotel door even for a moment; but it was necessary to settle the bill, and he hurried off just as the stage drove up.

He paid the amount asked for, and had turned toward the store door when he saw Bob and Sam, with guns, rods, and quite an amount of baggage, clambering on the roof of the coach.

"Hurry up an' get your team," he said, in a low tone to his new friend.

"I'd like to know where that stage stops."

"I can show you any time," the boy replied, carelessly; but he obeyed the injunction, and in a few moments after the public conveyance rolled away the amateur detective was following it.

CHAPTER XXII

THE SMALL GUIDE