Page:Edward Ellis--Seth Jones.djvu/67

64 party by nightfall; but this expectation was doomed to a sudden disappointment; for in a few hours they reached a point Where the trail divided again.

This was unaccountable even to the hunter, and for a few moments our friends stood perfectly nonplussed. They had not looked for this, and had not the slightest reason of it.

"This beats all creation!" remarked Haldidge, as he agate examined the trail.

"Depend upon it there is something meant in this," observed Haverland with an air of deep concern.

"It is some stratagem of the imps which we must understand before going further."

"They must entertain different ideas of us from what we thought. You may safely believe that this is some plan to mislead us, and if there is ever a time when our wits shall be demanded it has now come."

During this fragmentary conversation, the hunter mas minutely examining the trail. Graham and Haverland watched him a few seconds in silence, when the latter asked:

"Do you make any thing of it?"

"Nothing more. The trail divides here; the main body proceeds onward in a direct line, while the minor trail leads off to the west. The division must have been very unequal, for as near as I can judge the smaller party does not number over three or four at the most. No efforts have been made to conceal their traces, and here is either a deep laid scheme afloat, or they don't care a fig for us."

"Very probably both," remarked Graham. "They care enough for us to take good care to remain out of our reach, when they do not possess advantages over us, and have already shown their skill in not only laying but in executing schemes."

"If we could only give that Seth Jones an inkling of our whereabouts and intentions, I should feel pretty sanguine again," said Haverland.

"Very likely if that Jones could give us an inkling of his whereaboute and experiences, you would lose a little of that expectation," rejoined the hunter with a meaning emphasis and look.

"But this is a waste of time and words," said Graham. "let