“An’ if so be ye wanter make me a offer, spot cash, ter guide ye boys through the big timber, find yer missin’ chum, and show ye some big-horn huntin’ in the Rockies, I’m yer man; on’y make the price wuth my while, an’ cash down, spot cash.”
Thad said he had no doubt it could be easily arranged to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. His object was really to gain time. He had received a secret sign from Allan, which told him just as plainly as so many words would have done that his chum had something of importance to communicate, as soon as they could get their heads together.
Step Hen and Giraffe had apparently swallowed the story offered by the self-called Toby Smathers without a suspicion. They were now entertaining the two men with some accounts of previous experiences. The fellows seemed to be in high spirits. They would nudge each other, and laugh boisterously on the slightest pretense. And sometimes they would laugh when there was no humorous story being told; a look exchanged between them being sufficient grounds for hilarity.
“They’re sure enough feeling pretty fine,” thought Thad; “and it strikes me they think they’ve got a little joke of their own that they’re playing on us. Three to one it’s about that name, too. I just can’t believe that man answers to the description I’ve had of Toby Smathers. Why, they said he was just the picture of an honest wood’s ranger, employed by the Government to watch out for timber thieves, forest fires and the likes. And that man’s face would condemn him on sight before any judge.”
Just then he heard Allan say he was thirsty, and must get a drink. The stream ran near by, and Thad noticed how the cautious Maine boy carried his gun along with him as he went.
A minute or so later Thad also arose.
“I’m as dry as a bone,” he observed, “and I think I’d like a drink about the size of the one Allan’s getting. Wait here, fellows.”
He added these last words as a sop to quiet the suspicions of Pierre and the man who called himself Toby Smathers. They had frowned, and made an impatient movement upon noticing that Thad, too, took his gun along with him, rather a queer thing to do when only going for a drink.
But Thad’s last words apparently served to disarm their suspicions. They had two of the boys held as hostages, at any rate.
Thad found his chum much excited. A drink just then was about the last thing Allan Hollister was thinking about.