Finally, however, the boys began to slip back once more into the tents, all but Giraffe, who was to finish the night with Jim; although there was hardly another hour now before daylight.
“Just suits me, boys!” declared the tall scout, as he prepared to sit out his turn as sentry; “you see, I can be thinking over that knotty problem I’ve just got to figure out before we leave this part of the country. And I’ve an idea that I’m getting mighty warm on that proposition now. Would sure had it dead to rights, only for clumsy Bumpus tumbling over me.”
But no one paid much attention to what Giraffe was saying; they had by now grown so accustomed to hearing him always promising great things by “to-morrow” that it “went in one ear, and came out of the other,” Davy Jones said.
When the morning came, the camp became a scene of activity. While some of the party were busily engaged cooking a good breakfast–and it needed a lot to satisfy the healthy appetites of six growing boys, not to mention two husky guides,–others were examining the tracks that had been found after the fire.
And it was the universal opinion that two prowlers had indeed started the fire with the idea that the inmates of the camp, rushing out to fight its spread, might get so far away that it would leave the way open for the thieves to make a sweep of any valuables left unguarded in that exciting hour.
Bumpus and Giraffe were making all their preparations looking to their “sallying forth,” as the latter termed it, “like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza of old, determined to do wonderful things.” Thad saw that they felt as if they knew it all; and he realized that in such a case advice was not desired, so he said nothing about what they ought to take. If they forgot anything, they must do without, and next time think again.
Presently the two waved their hands merrily to their chums, and started forth. Bumpus looked like a well-laden, led animal as he trotted along at the heels of the tall scout, who was to do the piloting of the expedition.
“Don’t keep supper for us if we’re late,” airily called back Bumpus. “We may get further away than we can manage in one day, and have to camp alone, like Thad and Step Hen did. And if some of them old wolves pay us a visit, they’ll wish they hadn’t. Giraffe is toting his old heavy weight rifle; and here I am with my new double-barreled gun, and fifty shells. Ketch me gettin’ caught like Step Hen did, with a few charges for my trusty weapon. Good-bye, fellers! See you later!”
“Good-bye, and good luck!” called out Davy Jones, waving his cap three times to represent his idea as to the right kind of a send-off.
The hunters got along very well for several miles, though Giraffe was forever forging protests from Bumpus.