Messenger No. 48 Part 37

"If they do it, I reckon we can."

"Of course, only it's a lot of work."

"We must expect plenty of that before the money is earned."

That Jim was correct in his surmise was shown later when Bob and Sam turned their craft into the stream which led to Round Lake, and then landed, evidently for the night.

"How near shall we go to them?" Jim asked.

"It won't do to stay too far away, for we must make it appear as if we intended to run down the same stream. We'll hold up here."

Jet steered the craft into an indentation on the sh.o.r.e about a quarter of a mile from where the others had stopped, and at a spot from which he could keep them in view.

"I'll rig up a camp, and you keep your eyes on them while you're getting some of the grub out," the small guide proposed.

The boys made preparations for the night, and while so occupied could see that the men were doing the same.

Then fires were lighted in both camps, and Jet watched the one down stream until his eyes closed in slumber, despite all his efforts to keep them open.

The gray light of dawn could be but faintly seen in the eastern sky when the amateur detective awakened, and his heart was made glad by the sight of a glow from the lower encampment.

"They haven't started yet," he said, as he awakened the guide, "and it stands us in hand to be ready to leave the minute they do."

"Better let 'em get to the carry first. When they keep on down the stream, we'll know where they're headed for, an' can get through in time, for I don't reckon there's a chance of their stayin' on Round Lake."

"There may be, and we mustn't run any risks."

The boys were ready to continue the journey some time before the men gave any sign of leaving camp, and they bustled around first in one direction and then another to make it appear as if they were doing work of importance, in case the game should be suspicious.

Not until Bob and Sam had been half an hour on their way would Jim consent to start, and that he had been wise in so doing could be seen after the fatiguing labor of "the carry" had been performed.

The fugitives were not more than two hundred yards in advance when the boys came out of the woods with the last load, and Jim said with a chuckle:

"I knowed they'd take the wrong turn, an' we'd been a good bit ahead if it hadn't been for layin' back."

By working slowly the boat was not reloaded until some time after the men were out of sight, and then when she had been pulled to the entrance of Round Lake, Jet insisted on remaining there a while, concealed by the bushes, to watch the movements of the other craft.

"I swow! They are goin' to stop here after all!" Jim exclaimed, as he saw the men turn toward the sh.o.r.e about a mile from the stream.

"There's one thing about it, though, they're bound to leave before many days."

"Why?"

"'Cause there's no game 'round here, an' the fis.h.i.+n' ain't anything to speak of."

"I don't reckon they care, so long as the provisions hold out."

"Of course, they can get fish enough, if they only want them to eat; but I never heard of anybody campin' here."

"That's probably the very reason why they stop; no one would think of looking for them where there's so little sport to be had. Now we'll slip down about half-way between here and there, and build our camp."

This time Jet rowed, and his companion steered the little craft to a small point within less than half a mile of where Bob's boat could be seen.

The guide took upon himself the task of building a shelter, and he had a very respectable looking lean-to finished before night.

The boat was drawn up on the sh.o.r.e; the goods stored underneath her, and everything was ready for the night.

Jim caught four fish from the bank, and these he fried in a most appetizing manner, after which the boys rested from their labors.

A camp-fire had been built, and Jet was lying inside the shanty where the smoke would not disturb him, while Jim remained outside to "brighten the blaze" whenever the fuel should b.u.m too low.

Both were enjoying the luxury of repose when an exclamation from the guide caused the amateur detective to glance quickly toward the water's edge.

That which he saw was sufficient to cause his heart to beat rapidly.

Bob, with his gun thrown carelessly over his shoulder, was coming directly toward them.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE VISIT

There could be no question but that the man was coming for the sole and only purpose of paying them a visit, and Jet was quite confident he had grown suspicious he and his companion were being followed.

The boy's first thought was to edge farther into the shanty, in order to prevent his face from being seen so plainly; but he did not dare make very much of a move lest the man should be aware of his purpose.

"He knows what we're here for," Jim whispered, in a tone of fear.

"Don't let him see you think it. Act as if we wasn't talking of anything but hunting and fis.h.i.+ng. Remember he'll kill us, if he knows the truth."

This was sufficient to drive away what little self-possession Jim had left, and he stood stupidly staring at the visitor until Jet said sharply:

"Pick up that hatchet and begin to cut wood; we haven't enough to last over night."

Jim would have obeyed almost any order at that moment. He was so dazed with fear as not to know what he was about, and mechanically he began to do as he was bidden.

Bob advanced leisurely, looked carelessly around at the boat, the stack of provisions and the weapons, after which he asked, much as if it was really a matter of no concern to him:

"Come up here on a hunting trip, eh?"

"More for fis.h.i.+ng than anything else," Jet replied, keeping his face in the shadow as much as possible.

"Is this a good place for that kind of sport?"

"We haven't had a chance to find out yet; but my chum caught four from the sh.o.r.e just after we landed."

"Do you live anywhere around here?"