Page:The Cross Pull.pdf/240

 help until at last he took the lead altogether, following the tracks at the limit of his leash. Every period of trailing was preceded by one of circling and hunting in the timber. These invariably terminated at the trail of some man and Flash soon discovered that it was for men that Moran was hunting. Once sure of this he started for the first trace of man scent, tugging at the end of the thong.

Of all the things which Moran had taught him he cared for this the least. Perhaps it was because of the restraining thong. Whatever the reason, he deemed it a vastly stupid game without point or end, this trailing of a man and finding him only to start out almost at once in search of another. If he had considered only his own inclinations he would have avoided rather than have sought them. He held to this business for the one reason that it pleased Moran, whose praise was so well worth working for. By the end of the second day he would follow any trail on which Moran started him.

The morning of the third day Moran and Vermont rode away from camp shortly after Flash returned from spending the night at the cabin.