Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/138

 “If a fox had made them they would be this big,” he said; “and if a wolf, like this. Were they as big, bigger than that? As big as this?”

Hugh looked over his shoulder and pointed unhesitatingly to the third drawing.

“They were as large as that, or even larger,” he stated. “Oh, what does it mean?”

Oscar drew a long breath.

“There is but one creature that could have made them,” said he; “that is the dog Nicholas. He is very large, and white, as large as a deer. Now we have something to go upon at last.”

He glanced quickly toward the west and frowned as he noted that the sun was low.

“It is too late to go now,” he said, “and would hardly be worth while, for I suppose the marks  were days old when you saw them. We will have supper, and go to bed early for a start at  sunrise to-morrow.”

Rising, he went into the cabin and, as Hugh could plainly hear, began to whistle gayly as he  stirred the fire and brought out the frying pan. He seemed much more cheerful already now that