Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/379

 uplifted arm. “He can wait till we’ve undone his mischief. He’s safe; let’s strike out fer the brats.”

“Good,” endorsed Nick. “Leave old man here. Git boys. I catch um. One help me.”

“Guess ye’d better go with him, Pete,” advised Joe. “Ye seem to need coolin’ off a bit. Ben and me will stay here and watch this feller.”

Pete grumbled and hesitated, evidently inclined to remain in camp, but as the half-breed became impatient he picked up a rifle and fell in behind him, saying, “We’d better separate and beat the woods in a straight line east. They won’t go up stream, and they won’t come here if they’ve got brains enough to read that old hound’s signal. If they do come here Ben and Joe ’ll git ’em.”

Nick grunted an approval, and deploying entered the woods a rod or two beyond the two young spies. Pete passed within a few feet of him and both the youths were grateful that he and not his companion had taken this line.

Bub nudged Stanley exultingly. “That leaves only two,” he ventured to whisper. “I’d rather all three were left than to try to outwit Nick alone.”