“But, Thad, the leaves ain’t on the trees yet, so how could he hide from us? Do you mean he got behind a big limb, and lay there like a squirrel?” Davy demanded.
“You forget there are some hemlocks on the island, and every one of us knows how easy it would be for a fellow to hide in their bushy tops any time of year,” Thad told him.
“What’s the answer?” snapped Giraffe, always wanting action, and then more action.
“We’ve got to go back again, and find him, that’s all,” said Thad, with a look of grim determination on his face.
“How about this fellow?” remarked Allan. “Do we want to trot him along with us?” and he jerked his thumb at the prisoner as he said this.
Thad considered for a short time.
“That would be poor business, I’m thinking,” he concluded. “We’d better leave him here until we want him again.”
“I’ve got more strong cord,” Giraffe suggested; “and we could tie him to a tree, like the Injuns used to do with their captives.”
“Oh! there ain’t any need tuh do that, boys,” argued the hobo, who apparently did not fancy such an arrangement. “I’ll set right here, and never move while you’re gone, sure I will.”
“We’ll make certain that you stay where we leave you,” Thad told him.