"Pay your fine and come out of jail at once. You can avoid our constable by remaining with the company the greater portion of the time; but it is necessary you should learn who the visitor is. Can't you walk around that way now and then? I don't fancy Bob will stay in the house all the time. This work can be done better now by you than any one I could send, since the presence of a stranger in the little village would attract attention."
While reading this Jet was busily engaged in trying to make some excuse whereby he could do as Harvey ordered without arousing the suspicion of his companions.
If he had paid the fine in the first place all would have been simple; but reason must be given for leaving after telling the manager that he did not dare to spend the money he had on his person.
A happy thought occurred to him.
Pretending to read after the letter was finished, he contrived, without being seen, to take fifteen dollars from his pocket, and, holding them up triumphantly, he cried:
"Here's enough with which to pay my fine, and I'll have more in a few days if you fellows don't get out."
As a matter of course his companions supposed the money had been taken from the letter.
Several tried to persuade him that it would be useless to spend that amount when by waiting the squire might be forced to free them; but he professed to be sick of life in a jail, and summoned the turnkey to take him to the magistrate's office.
Twenty minutes later he was formally released from custody, and the squire began to believe that two or three more days of imprisonment would force the others to follow Jet's example.
He went at once to the hotel, paid twenty-four hours' board in advance, and on turning, after completing this transaction, found himself face to face with the manager.
"So you concluded that it wouldn't be so very much out of the way to use some of that money, eh?" the latter asked, sarcastically.
"I wrote for funds, and got fifteen dollars by the last mail."
"Was that the best you could do?"
"It wasn't to be supposed I could pay the whole amount."
"No; but since you have friends with money enough to let you loaf around this section of the country, I didn't know but that we might raise a stake somehow."
Now Jet regretted having followed Harvey's advice, for if the manager should make this same remark in the hearing of the constable, many and grave suspicions might be aroused, for, of course, the man would be on the alert for anything which needed an explanation.
"That's where you are making a big mistake," he said, with an assumption of carelessness which was far from natural. "I only wanted to stay here till I could get a job."
"That wasn't the way you talked when I met you the other day; but it doesn't make much difference now, for I am beginning to see my way out of this snarl."
"How?"
"There's a constable in this town who seems to be pretty well fixed, and he gave me to understand that he might take the company out of jail, providing I'd let him act as treasurer until the amount was paid."
"Which one is he?" Jet asked, trying hard not to betray the eagerness for knowledge which he felt.
"The fellow who took you to jail."
"Are you pretty certain he'll make the trade?"
"Here he comes now to talk the matter over; it won't take us long to find out."
Jet glanced toward the door, and saw the man in whom he felt so great an interest.
The manager, eager to clinch the bargain, advanced to meet him, and the boy, keeping his back toward the new-comer, managed to walk out of the opposite door without being observed.
Now the one question in the mind of the amateur detective was as to why this man should be willing to travel with the show.
It did not require many minutes for him to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.
"He has got a lot of that counterfeit money with him, and by running the company through a number of towns some distance from here can pass it," Jet said to himself. "Now, what shall I do if he makes the trade?"
The proper thing seemed to be to send a letter at once, and, going to his room, he wrote a full account of what he had heard, concluding by saying:
"To-night I shall lay around his house trying to get a sight of the man who is visiting there."
This done he went into the office once more, and there saw the manager, who was highly elated.
"It is all arranged," he said. "The fines will be fixed in some way to-morrow, and we shall start once more. We only lose to-night's stand, and then go on with a backer who has plenty of money. Will you tell the boys of our good luck, while I make arrangements for sending the posters ahead?"
Jet promised to carry the tidings, and stopped only long enough to add the following postscript to his letter:
"The trade has been made, and the constable will leave here to-morrow with the company. I shall loaf near his house this evening, and walk to the next town to send you a telegram if I learn anything."
This letter he mailed in time for the night train, and then visited the jail, delivering news which the prisoners were not particularly glad to hear, since it gave them no immediate prospect for money.
"We have made up our minds to tire the squire out," one of them said, "and I don't take favorably to the idea of working to pay the fines when there's no real need of it."
Jet did not spend much time trying to induce the prisoners to take advantage of the constable's offer.
It suited his plans best to have them refuse, and, after giving the information, he walked back to the hotel, as if the one desire of his life was to get a good supper.
When the meal was finished the night had fully come, and he would have set out at once to loiter around the constable's house but for the fact that as yet he did not know where that gentleman lived.
While standing in the office trying to make up his mind whom he could approach, in order to get this information, the manager joined him, as he asked:
"What did the boys say when you told them what was to be done?"
"I didn't wait to hear very much; but it struck me that they were not particularly well pleased."
"Why not?"
"They think it is foolish to work for the money when it may be possible to tire the squire out by holding on a while and letting the town support them."
"Is it possible they can be such fools? Come with me, and we'll see if it isn't possible to beat some sense into their stupid heads."
Jet did not want to waste the time; but since he could make no good excuse, there was nothing for it but to comply, and the two started at once.
On arriving at the jail, the turnkey informed them that it was against orders to admit any one after dark; but he intimated that the matter might be arranged with any one of the constables who had brought the prisoners there.
"Then it won't take us long to fix it," the manager said, as he beckoned Jet to follow him, and when they were in the open air again, he added: "Barker will see that we get in."
"Who is he?"
"Why, Jabe Barker, the constable who wants to take the company on the road."
Jet made no reply, but congratulated himself on thus having the house pointed out to him without any questions on his part.
A walk of ten minutes brought them to quite a large residence on the outskirts of the village, and the manager said:
"That's where he lives, and I'm told he owns the entire property, so you see we'll have a capitalist to back us."
"I guess I'd better not go any farther with you," Jet said, half-apologetically, as he halted.
"Why not?"
"You and he may want to talk business, and, perhaps, it wouldn't look well for me to be where I could listen."
"You are right, my boy. Go back to the hotel, and I'll meet you there in a short time."
Jet turned as if to obey, and walked slowly toward the center of the village, until he saw that the manager had been admitted to the building, when he clambered over a fence, ran across a piece of plowed land, and stood at the rear of the out-buildings when Mr. Barker and the manager emerged.
Not until they were lost to view in the gloom did he dare to make a move, and then he crept softly around in search of a place of vantage from which the house could be watched.
He finally found it immediately behind the woodshed, where, by climbing on the sloping roof, it was possible to look in at the uncurtained windows of the first and second story.
During fully an hour he lay at full length upon the hard boards without seeing that for which he sought.
Now and then a female form would pass one of the lighted windows, but nothing more, and he was beginning to think he had struck the wrong trail, when Barker returned.
He was whistling merrily while coming up the lane which led to the house, and, as if this was a signal, a man came from the building with a pipe in his mouth. Jet's heart beat fast and loud.
Although it was impossible, in the gloom, to distinguish any object clearly, he felt certain that this man was the one whom Harvey was so eager to find. The stature, form, and general appearance was Bob's, and Jet believed his search had come to an end.
It was evident that the two had some business to discuss which they did not care to speak of in the house, where the other members of the family could hear them, for they walked directly toward the shed on which the boy was lying, and, fortunately for his purpose, sat down on a log almost directly beneath him.
"It is all arranged," Barker was saying. "The fool actors kicked at first about working for nothing, as they called it; but we soon brought them to terms."
"When are you going to start?"
"Day after to-morrow."
"Why do you wait?"
"I think we had better find out first what the officers did after we left, and a few hours can't make much difference, for I'll get rid of plenty of the queer to keep us going before we've been out a day."
"I'm not certain that it is best for you to do this thing, Jabe. A minstrel show can be tracked a dozen times where one man could give the officers the slip without trouble."
"I'm not intending to shove so much that there'll be any fuss. Just enough to put us in funds so we can skip if things begin to look black. We wouldn't be in this shape if my advice had been taken; I always insisted that there was no reason why Joe should carry all the cash."
"He's a slick one, Joe is, and could get out of a tight place where you or I would be pulled."
"Well, with all his smartness he's cornered this time."
"That remains to be proven. He may have had to skin out while we were watching the house. If he was arrested we should have heard it before this."
"That isn't certain; none of the gang have showed up yet, and—— Hello! Who is this?"
Jet looked toward the road and there saw the form of a man coming cautiously up the lane as if trying to avoid observation from those in the house.
Bob and Barker were on their feet in an instant both acting ill at ease, until a low, peculiar whistle was heard, which the latter answered in the same manner, and then said to his companion in a tone of relief:
"Now we shall hear the whole story."
"Who is it?"
"Sam, I reckon; yes it is," and Jabe advanced to seize the new-comer by the hand.
"Well?" Bob asked, as if impatient to hear the news.
"We're cornered, or at least poor Joe is. We did all we could, and the result is that I've left the other fellows in jail on the charge of resisting an officer."
Then Sam went on to tell of Jet's appearing in town with his prisoner, and the remainder of the story which is already known.
Bob was silent for several moments after the new-comer ceased speaking, and then said savagely:
"But for me that cub would have been put out of the way before he'd done anything except tell a certain story in New York. Now all I ask is a chance to get hold of him again, and I'll swear to it that he won't do any more mischief."
"What is the New York racket?" Barker asked curiously. "I've noticed that you and Joe had a secret which bothered you more'n this matter did."
"If I don't tell you there'll be no danger of your splittin' on us," was the gruff reply. "What I want to know is whether there's any show of our being tracked to this place?"
"Of course, no man can say that to a dead certainty; but unless the fellows who are jugged give the snap away, we're safe here, providing Jabe can take care of us," Sam replied.
Mr. Barker did not venture any advice, possibly because he feared it might not be safe to have too many guests at his house for the villagers to gossip about.
"What about the house in the woods?" Bob finally asked.
"Two fellows from Albany stayed there a couple of days, and then got tired of waiting. They took the train home last night."
"Did they find anything?"
"No; I went up to the big oak this morning, and there were no signs the ground had been disturbed since we left."
Again Bob was silent, and when he finally spoke Jet was considerably surprised.
"This part of the country is getting too hot for me, and I'm goin' to make a jump."
"Where?"
"Almost any place is better than layin' around so near. What do you say to a hunting trip in the Adirondacks, Sam?"
"It would suit me. How much cash have you got?"
"Enough to see us through."
"Then I'm ready any time."
"When can we leave here, Jabe?"
"I don't reckon you want to go through Albany?"
"Of course not, you fool."
"Then at five to-morrow morning you'll get a train from here to Schenectady, and there are plenty out of there to take you into the mountains."
"I don't fancy running around those big towns," Sam said, hesitatingly.
"Very well, stay behind if you choose; I'm going," and Bob terminated the interview by walking toward the house.
"It's something besides shoving the queer that's crawling on him now," Jabe said, as the short man passed out of hearing.
"I reckon so; but at the same time I'm bound to be with him, for if there is a man in this country who can steer clear of trouble he is the one, and I don't care to be pulled on a charge of counterfeiting."
Jabe made no reply, and a few seconds later the two followed their friend into the house, leaving Jet to ponder upon the magnitude of the task he felt bound to undertake.
Not until everything was quiet did the boy venture to come down from his hiding-place, and then his plans were formed.
"Between now and to-morrow morning I can walk fifteen miles," he said to himself when he had gained the highway once more, "and then I should be mighty near the junction. There I shall be able to telegraph at any hour, and have everything ready to board this five o'clock train when it comes along. But if we should reach the Adirondacks, and those fellows ever got hold of me there, it would be all up with Jet Lewis."
It was, indeed, a desperate undertaking for him to follow these men into the wilderness where he could not call upon his friend for assistance; but never for a moment did he think of shirking the responsibility.
His first move was to see the manager, and represent that he was going down the road a short distance, in order to prevent anything being said to the constable before the two men should leave.
"I'll most likely meet you at the next town," he said, cheerily, as he went up stairs apparently to retire, and half an hour later he had slipped out of the house without being recognized by any one he knew.
At this late hour the village was in a state of repose, and he hurried to the railroad, saying to himself as he started down the track on the ties:
"Now we'll see how many miles I can cover between this and sunrise."
Jet gave no heed to his own fatigue during this night's traveling.
His one desire was to reach the junction in time to send the telegram to Harvey, and make such changes in his costume as would serve to disguise him in some slight degree.
In order to effect this purpose, it would be necessary to travel every moment of the time at full speed.
This he did, and it was one quarter past four in the morning when he arrived at the junction.
He had more than two hours before the train would arrive, and his first care was to send the following telegram to the detective:
"He, with a friend, has just started for the Adirondacks hunting. If possible will let you know where they stop; but I may not be able to get out of the woods while they stay."
It had taken Jet a long while to write the message. He wished to word it so the operator could not understand that he was tracking a man, and yet it was necessary the detective should realize it might be many days before he could send any further information.
If the men had remained at Jabe's house one day after he discovered positively that Bob was there, the whole work would have been finished in a few hours, for an officer could have been sent from Albany to capture him.
Under the circumstances, therefore, nothing could be done, save to follow the men until it should be possible to let Harvey know where an arrest might be effected.
After the message had been delivered to the operator, Jet walked around the town waiting for the stores to be opened.
The "earliest bird" was a clothing dealer, and he "caught the worm" without difficulty.
Jet bought a reefer's jacket, a slouch hat, and such articles of underwear as might be needed. He also invested a dollar in a cheap carpet-bag.
Then he waited a few moments longer for the shoemaker, of whom he purchased a pair of top boots. Tucking his trousers into these, he had the satisfaction of knowing that he bore very little resemblance to the district messenger boy, who had left New York believing his destination to be Yonkers.
"I'd like to buy a gun and some cartridges, if I could get a good bargain," he said to the shoemaker, and the latter replied, eagerly:
"I've got jest what you want."
An ordinary breech-loading, double-barrelled gun was produced from behind the counter, and after some bargaining a trade was made on the basis of eight dollars for the weapon and sixty cartridges.
By this time Jet's stock of ready cash was running low; but he did not feel particularly worried, since there was yet enough remaining to pay his railroad fare to and from the mountains, with something over for the purchase of provisions.
A hearty breakfast at the depot restaurant, a wait of five minutes, and the train arrived.
Jet had good reason to believe his game would go direct to Plattsburgh before striking into the wilderness, for the shoemaker had told him it was the most direct route to the hunting region, and he procured a ticket for that point.
On boarding the train he went into the smoking-car, and there saw the men he intended to fellow.
The seat behind them was vacant, and he took it at once, pulling his hat down over his eyes in such a manner that one could not see his face without considerable difficulty.
The men were half asleep; but the conductor awakened them, and Jet was made glad by a glimpse of their tickets.
They were bound for Plattsburgh as he had guessed, and he resolved that at the next station he would telegraph this information to Harvey.
"I don't suppose he could get a man there before these fellows strike into the woods," he said to himself; "but there's just a chance they'll hang around the town a while, and it is best he should have all the information possible."
At Schenectady it was necessary to change cars, and here Jet found an opportunity to send Harvey word.
On boarding the other train, the boy again succeeded in getting a seat directly behind his men without apparently having been observed by them.
They had not started without an ample supply of liquid refreshments, and both indulged liberally, but not to such an extent as to loosen their tongues.
Jet listened eagerly, but not a word of particular interest or importance to him could he hear.
Owing to several delays, it was nightfall before the train reached Plattsburgh, and now came the hardest part of the amateur detective's task.
It was necessary to keep the men in sight, and yet at the same time avoid being seen by them.
He was convinced that it would be necessary for him to stand watch all night; but fortune favored him in a signal manner.
Observing Bob going toward the ticket-office, he slipped through the crowd, and heard the following conversation:
"When does the next train leave for Saranac Lake?"
"Seven to-morrow morning."
"From what depot?"
"This one."
"What is the fare?"
"Three thirty-five."
"Give me two tickets."
"I reckon that's enough for me," Jet said to himself, joyfully. "There's no question about where they are going, and I can do as I please until morning."
After Bob left the window to rejoin Sam, the boy purchased a ticket for the same point, and then went to a small hotel near the depot where he registered as David Small.
The two men had evidently sought shelter elsewhere, for he saw nothing of them during the evening.
After a hearty supper, which was all the more needed, because he had refrained from buying dinner, in order to husband his rapidly decreasing store of cash, Jet wrote a long letter to Harvey, telling him all he had learned, and urging that some officer be sent to Saranac Lake in order to make the arrest.
"I shall keep on their track as long as I can," he said in conclusion; "but after they get into the woods it's going to be a hard job, and the sooner they are pulled the more certain we'll be of having them."
This done he went to bed and slept soundly until awakened at six o'clock.
Half an hour later he was at the depot, and took a seat in the smoking-car.
Neither Bob nor Sam were there; but they arrived five minutes before the train left, and seated themselves some distance from Jet.
From that time until considerably past noon the boy could do no more than watch his men; but he was well content, knowing they had no suspicion as to being followed.
Then the end of the first stage of the journey was finished, and the real work of trailing the human game began.
Jet loitered around the station asking questions relative to the best way of getting into the woods, but all the while keeping his eye on the men.
Their movements puzzled him.
Neither appeared to be in any hurry to leave the town.
They also asked a number of questions; but Jet was not near enough to overhear the conversation, and then both went to the hotel.
A boy about his own age was standing near the depot platform eying Jet curiously, and the latter asked, more as an excuse for remaining where he was than anything else.
"Do you know where a fellow could find some good hunting?"
"You'd have to go down to the lake, and strike into the woods most anywhere."
"Where is the lake?"
"Down that road a couple of miles."
"Isn't there any other way of getting into the woods?"
"Not unless you strike through the fields, an' then you'd be goin' right away from the best hunting. There's a fork in the road a little more than a mile down, an' the people mostly take the right-hand turn. How far are you countin' on traveling?"
"I don't know; just want to have a little trip."
"I don't reckon you want a guide, eh?"
"I guess I couldn't stand anything quite so expensive. I heard one of them fellers say he wanted, three dollars a day."
"Yes, some of 'em get pretty big prices; but I'd put myself alongside of the best, 'less it comes to deers."
"And how much do you charge?"
"I'll go for nothin', if you'll pay the bills."
"Bills for what?"
"Grub, hire of a boat, powder an' shot, an' sich things."
"Have you got a gun?"
"Of course; but she's not so good as your'n."
"I'll take you along. When will you be ready?"
"In five minutes; I've only got to run home a second to get some things."
"Don't be away any longer than you can help."
The boy started off at full speed; and Jet congratulated himself on having made the arrangement.
"That fellow can do a good deal to help me, and since he lives around here, Bob won't recognize me so quick, because he'll be apt to take me for one of the natives."
Jet's guide returned in a very short time.
He brought with him several fishing-lines, an old muzzle-loading gun, some cooking utensils, and a small bundle of provisions.
"Now, you've got to buy a lot of grub, an' then we'll have so much to carry that a team will be needed to haul 'em. I know where we can get a boat."
"I'll stay here while you pick out as much as we'll need; but don't spend more'n ten dollars."
"Ten dollars! Why, half of that'll be enough."
"Go ahead, an' call me when you've found out how much the bill is."
"Why don't you come, too?"
"I didn't know but I might see a friend, an' I want to kinder watch out for a while."
The boy hurried away, and returned half an hour later.
"The stuff comes to six dollars an' eighty cents, an' we'll have to pay a dollar to get it hauled down."
Jet was averse to losing sight of the hotel door even for a moment; but it was necessary to settle the bill, and he hurried off just as the stage drove up.
He paid the amount asked for, and had turned toward the store door when he saw Bob and Sam, with guns, rods, and quite an amount of baggage, clambering on the roof of the coach.
"Hurry up an' get your team," he said, in a low tone to his new friend. "I'd like to know where that stage stops."
"I can show you any time," the boy replied, carelessly; but he obeyed the injunction, and in a few moments after the public conveyance rolled away the amateur detective was following it.
The driver of the vehicle which Jet had hired did not seem disposed to push his sorry-looking horse to his utmost speed, and the boy experienced no slight amount of mental anxiety through fear that the men would escape him.
Once they entered the woods without his having some idea of their course, the chase would be well-nigh hopeless.
His small guide commenced the process of becoming acquainted by asking Jet's name.
"David Small," was the prompt reply. "What's your's?"
"Jim Crosby."
Then Jet was obliged to explain considerably more about himself; he said he lived in Albany, sold news papers there, and, having laid by a little money, concluded to see what the Adirondack region looked like.
"If you don't have to go back too soon, I'll show you the whole place," Jim replied, with an air of profound wisdom such as one might have expected from the oldest inhabitant in the vicinity.
Then the small guide went on to explain where he proposed to take his friend and patron, and before his recital was finished the wagon stopped at the lake side.
Here everything was in a state of seeming confusion. Sportsmen and tourists were setting out for their respective destinations; but Jet had no thought for any, save the two he had followed so far.
"You hire a boat, and I'll stay here," he said to Jim, who hurried away, leaving him where he could see all who left the shore by the water-way.
Again fortune favored him.
Bob and Sam had just concluded their arrangements for a craft, and were loading it not more than twenty yards away.
Before Jim returned they had started alone.
These two who thought more of hiding themselves than of hunting or fishing, did not need a guide.
Jet kept his eyes fixed on them as they rowed leisurely down the lake, and when Jim returned, he said:
"See here, can't we keep about half a mile behind those fellows?"
"What do you want to do that for? They won't know where to find the best sport."
"I've got a particular reason for wanting to see where they stop, an' will make it worth your while."
"Oh, that's all right, I don't want to be paid for anything of the kind! Come on an' help me put this stuff aboard before they get around the point."
Jet was so eager to be off that he did most of the work himself, and Jim promised to take the first trick at the oars.
"Don't pull very fast; I only want to keep them in sight," Jet explained, as he shoved the light craft off and leaped into the stern-sheets.
"You steer, and tell me when we're coming too near, for I can't keep lookin' around. Say, what game are you up to?"
"I don't understand you."
"I reckon you know what I mean. Why do you wanter keep on the track of that boat?"
"I just had an idea, that's all. They are going without a guide, and I'd like to see how they'll come out."
"There's plenty of them kind of fellers who think they can save money by workin' it alone; but they don't travel very far. What's your other reason?"
Unquestionably Jim was suspicious, and Jet began to study the question of how much he could tell him, for it would soon be necessary to make some more definite explanation.
While he was thus trying to decide, the small guide continued to ply him with questions, until he came to the conclusion that the best plan would be to give a portion of the story, otherwise, in case he met the men, Jim might ask them to solve the riddle.
"If you'll cross your throat never to tell a living person till we get out of the woods again, I'll let you into the secret, and what's more, I'll agree to give you twenty dollars, if this job is finished up right."
"Twenty dollars!" the boy repeated, in surprise. "What do you want me to do?" and he turned to look at the boat.
"Nothing just at present but row slowly without turning around. Will you agree not to tell anybody?"
"Of course, an' I'd do a good deal more'n that to earn so much money."
"Then here it is, and if you breathe a single word I wouldn't wonder if you got into jail. I've been hired to watch them fellows till officers can get here and arrest them."
"Then you're a reg'lar detective," Jim cried, breathlessly.
"Hold your tongue, or everybody on the lake will hear you. I ain't anything of the kind. Didn't I say I'd only been hired to watch them so's to let the officers know where they stop?"
"What have they been doing?"
"I don't reckon it's very much; but somebody in Albany seems to think it'll pay to catch them."
"Why didn't the constables come with you?"
"Because nobody but me knew they'd started for this place. It the men make a camp we can send back word; but if they have the least little idea that we're on their trail there'll be a mighty good chance of our getting our throats cut."
"I'll be still as a fish; but I do wish I knew more about 'em."
"If they are arrested you can find out the whole story."
This promise seemed to satisfy Jim, and he rowed on in silence, probably fancying he was doing some skillful piece of detective work, which might be spoiled by so much as the splashing of the oars.
An hour later the men were taking matters so leisurely that it was necessary the boys should make a pretense of landing in order to remain behind, otherwise their evident loitering would have caused suspicion.
Jet explained this to his companion, and the latter proposed that they utilize the time by cooking dinner.
The boat was run ashore, and Jim soon proved that he was a valuable assistant in the woods by preparing a hot lunch, which to Jet was decidedly palatable.
By the time the meal was ended the men were a couple of miles in advance, and the boys resumed the chase, with Jim still at the oars.
"I'll bet you they are bound for the falls," the guide said, shortly after the second start. "If that's so we'll have to make a carry, an' that can't be done between now and sunset."
"What's a carry?"
"A place where you have to lug your boat for a while, an' it's no fun I'll tell you."
"If they do it, I reckon we can."
"Of course, only it's a lot of work."
"We must expect plenty of that before the money is earned."
That Jim was correct in his surmise was shown later when Bob and Sam turned their craft into the stream which led to Round Lake, and then landed, evidently for the night.
"How near shall we go to them?" Jim asked.
"It won't do to stay too far away, for we must make it appear as if we intended to run down the same stream. We'll hold up here."
Jet steered the craft into an indentation on the shore about a quarter of a mile from where the others had stopped, and at a spot from which he could keep them in view.
"I'll rig up a camp, and you keep your eyes on them while you're getting some of the grub out," the small guide proposed.
The boys made preparations for the night, and while so occupied could see that the men were doing the same.
Then fires were lighted in both camps, and Jet watched the one down stream until his eyes closed in slumber, despite all his efforts to keep them open.
The gray light of dawn could be but faintly seen in the eastern sky when the amateur detective awakened, and his heart was made glad by the sight of a glow from the lower encampment.
"They haven't started yet," he said, as he awakened the guide, "and it stands us in hand to be ready to leave the minute they do."
"Better let 'em get to the carry first. When they keep on down the stream, we'll know where they're headed for, an' can get through in time, for I don't reckon there's a chance of their stayin' on Round Lake."
"There may be, and we mustn't run any risks."
The boys were ready to continue the journey some time before the men gave any sign of leaving camp, and they bustled around first in one direction and then another to make it appear as if they were doing work of importance, in case the game should be suspicious.
Not until Bob and Sam had been half an hour on their way would Jim consent to start, and that he had been wise in so doing could be seen after the fatiguing labor of "the carry" had been performed.
The fugitives were not more than two hundred yards in advance when the boys came out of the woods with the last load, and Jim said with a chuckle:
"I knowed they'd take the wrong turn, an' we'd been a good bit ahead if it hadn't been for layin' back."
By working slowly the boat was not reloaded until some time after the men were out of sight, and then when she had been pulled to the entrance of Round Lake, Jet insisted on remaining there a while, concealed by the bushes, to watch the movements of the other craft.
"I swow! They are goin' to stop here after all!" Jim exclaimed, as he saw the men turn toward the shore about a mile from the stream. "There's one thing about it, though, they're bound to leave before many days."
"Why?"
"'Cause there's no game 'round here, an' the fishin' ain't anything to speak of."
"I don't reckon they care, so long as the provisions hold out."
"Of course, they can get fish enough, if they only want them to eat; but I never heard of anybody campin' here."
"That's probably the very reason why they stop; no one would think of looking for them where there's so little sport to be had. Now we'll slip down about half-way between here and there, and build our camp."
This time Jet rowed, and his companion steered the little craft to a small point within less than half a mile of where Bob's boat could be seen.
The guide took upon himself the task of building a shelter, and he had a very respectable looking lean-to finished before night.
The boat was drawn up on the shore; the goods stored underneath her, and everything was ready for the night.
Jim caught four fish from the bank, and these he fried in a most appetizing manner, after which the boys rested from their labors.
A camp-fire had been built, and Jet was lying inside the shanty where the smoke would not disturb him, while Jim remained outside to "brighten the blaze" whenever the fuel should bum too low.
Both were enjoying the luxury of repose when an exclamation from the guide caused the amateur detective to glance quickly toward the water's edge.
That which he saw was sufficient to cause his heart to beat rapidly.
Bob, with his gun thrown carelessly over his shoulder, was coming directly toward them.