“There’s some sort of a path around here,” Bart said. “It leads to the top, and was used by some lumbermen. I used to take it. Seems to me—yes, here it is,” he added as he burst through a particularly thick patch of brush, and came out on a rude wagon trail. “Now it will be easier going.”
It took about an hour to reach the top of the hill, and they were so tired they sat down for a moment to rest. They could get a good view of the surrounding country from their vantage point, and, for a while, tried the telescope in various directions. As Bart had said, it was a good instrument and showed things very clearly.
“Now for a look at our friend Sandy’s camp,” observed Bart as he went to the tree from which he had said he could look down into the clearing. It was his privilege to take the first peep, and when he had climbed half way up and adjusted the glass he focussed it on the place from which the boys had recently been ordered away.
For a few seconds Bart remained motionless, gazing at something below him. His companions waited anxiously for some report.
“See anything?” asked Frank.
“No, don’t appear to be anyone—hold on though! Yes, there is. I see three men.”
“What are they doing?”
“They seem to be walking about.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, that’s all—No, by Jimminy! It can’t be possible! They’re playing leap-frog!”