Part 18 (1/2)

Step Hen put a finger on his lips, and that told Davy to keep quiet, so that the others might not suspect their comrades in the other camp were entertaining the very boy these men sought at that particular minute.

And when he had the chance, Step Hen whispered a few words to Smithy that rather startled that worthy, who had apparently not noticed what was being said when the sheriff was talking; he having hurried over to try and cut some slices from the carcase of the big-horn, as he wished to get into the habit of doing these handy things about camp.

There now remained but Toby; and from the sly wink which the guide gave Step Hen, upon seeing the anxious look on the boy's face, it was plain that he had grasped the situation immediately, and they need not fear that he would betray Aleck.

While the two men were eating a little later, Step Hen tried to make up his mind as to what sort of a party this so-called Artemus Rawson might be. If he indeed proved to be a genuine brother of the man who had discovered the silver lode, and the real uncle of Aleck, then he must have been a different sort of a man altogether from the boy's father. On his small, rat-like face scheming was written plainly; and the chances were, Step Hen concluded, that he too knew something about the ”find” Aleck had lately made, and was plotting to get possession of that precious chart to the mine.

This gave Step Hen cause for sudden excitement. The sheriff had just said they could not stay all night with Toby and his charges; that they were bound in the direction of the valley, called by _business_. Then the chances were that they knew something of the boy's plans, and that he might be run across heading into the valley from the other side. They had laid out to meet him on the way, and take him by surprise.

What bothered Step Hen was the fact that the sheriff had just said they were likely to come upon the camp of the scouts on the way, between then and morning, and in case they did, he promised himself the pleasure of dropping in to take a bite of breakfast with the smart scoutmaster and his chums, whom he would like to meet very much.

Step Hen worried over this very nearly all the time the two men were eating. He thought those rat-like eyes of Artemus Rawson, so-called, were often searching his face, as though the man suspected that he knew something about the boy the sheriff had been engaged to find; and that being the case, the man would even go out of their way to visit the camp of the scouts, to see whether the one they sought might be stopping there.

And how under the sun could Thad be warned of the impending trouble?

CHAPTER XVIII.

PURE PLUCK.

”Well, I'm glad they're departed; because somehow I couldn't fancy that Mr. Rawson the least little bit,” remarked Smithy, an hour later.

”Do you really think they have gone for good, Toby?” Step Hen asked, eagerly; ”or might they just make believe, and hang around here to see if we had Aleck Rawson hidden away somewhere?”

”Oh! they're gone, that's right enough,” replied the guide; ”but I'm kinder of the notion they'll make it a p'int to pay a visit to the other camp by mornin', and p'raps sneak in on 'em by surprise like.”

”Then you're of a mind that they have suspicions?” asked Step Hen.

”That thar Artemus Rawson I reckon he allers has s'picions of everybody,” replied Toby; ”an' I seen him watchin' you two boys pa.s.s winks an' nods when the sheriff, he happened to say the gent's name was Rawson.”

”Then he must have guessed that we knew something about Aleck?”

declared Davy.

”Reckon as how he did,” Toby responded.

”But if that was so, how did it come that he never once asked us if we knew a boy by the name of Aleck Rawson?” Step Hen went on.

”He was jest a leetle too slick for that,” the guide answered. ”He knowed that you'd made up your mind to deny everything; and he guessed how the land laid. So right now, I shouldn't wonder a bit but what he's atellin' Bob all about it; an' showin' him how they'll as like as not find the boy they want right smack in the camp of the Boy Scouts.”

”You're right, Toby!” cried Step Hen. ”Now I remember that the sheriff seemed a little bit inclined to put up all night with us; but it was the other who said he wanted to be on the move. He even asked how long it would take to reach the main valley over on the other side of this ridge, by followin' the canyon route; and vowed he was good for a few hours' tramp, if the sheriff was agreeable.”

”Yes, and he told how one of their hosses kim down lame, so they had to leave both animals in a place to rest up while they was in the mountains,” remarked the guide; ”but it's sure too bad the way things is a settin' for that boy.”

”You mean Aleck, I guess, don't you, Toby?” asked Step Hen.

”Yes, Aleck Rawson. I wanted to see the kid git that mine his dad found years ago; but seems to me the woods is full of people as think they orter have a claim on it, afore the fambly of Jerry Rawson. If so be this ole chap is a uncle to the boy, he's a bad egg; I kin see that in his face. But Sheriff Bob thinks he's doin' the right thing in tryin' to arrest Aleck; and he'll take him away, if he ever lays eyes on him. I say, it's too bad.”

”If we only could warn them?” said Smithy, disconsolately.