He quickly discovered that Alligator Smith had changed his course considerably, and could guess the reason for this. The other judged it best that they try and come up on the concealed shack where the fugitive was in all likelihood hidden, from the other side. And as Tom Smith had been here before, he undoubtedly must know what he was about.
Being quite content to take things as he found them, Thad did not even try to ask a single question, which he might have done by placing his lips close to the other’s ear.
When the hunter got down, and wriggled along past some spot that was more open than usual, Thad followed suit; and it was fortunate that he knew as much concerning the ways of the tracker as he did, and could imitate him to the life.
After a little while he saw Smith making motions as though to call his attention to something ahead. This caused Thad to find an opening in the brush that shielded them; and the first thing he saw was what appeared to be a primitive shelter made of slabs and branches, though capable of shedding rain, no doubt.
In front of this a small fire was burning, though throwing up very little smoke, as the man had been careful to select such wood as would not give off the black oozy results that come from Southern pine.
This in itself was enough to tell Thad they were in luck. A fire could not be started without some human agency. Undoubtedly Alligator Smith must have figured correctly when he “allowed” that this same Jasper, wishing to remain hidden from everybody for a time, would come to this former retreat where, as a boy he had been wont to retire from the parental wrath.
And if Jasper were here, of course the girl must be also.
Thad was straining his eyes to the utmost now, in the wild hope that he might discover her somewhere by.
He had often thought deeply over this part of the matter, and wondered whether it would be possible for him to recognize this girl. Should he meet her on the street would there be something about her that must tell him he was looking on a Brewster?
When he failed to see anything of her, he confessed to a sense of disappointment; but even as he looked there was a movement at the door of the shack, and a man came slowly out.