Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/208

 think we are where we can see him, else he wouldn’t stand up there on that rock. Yet he believes he is on our trail.”

Stanley’s teeth chattered at the boldness of his thought, and he said, “Let’s sneak out and get near enough to jump him. I’m tired of being chased as if I were a poor wild thing.”

“That’s it; let’s take the lead. He won’t be looking for it and we’ll never get a chance at him in the day time,” urged Bub, whose fears were driving him desperate.

“Younkers, I opine ye’ve got the right of it. It’s now or never,” agreed Abner, beginning to steal back to the opening.

But the first stealthy glimpse revealed the half-breed had disappeared. He might be within a few feet of the hiding place, but he was no longer on the rock.

“These ledges will be losing some of their darkness in a little while,” reminded Bub, to whom the faintly illumined rock piles appeared to be bathed in brightest light.

“And Big Nick can see like a cat in the night,” regretted Abner. “Yas, I guess we’d better be moving. For if he really believes we’re hid up ’round here he’ll stick till he starves us out. If we can git to the woods we