It was evident they had not, but to make sure of it the boys hurried behind a screen of bushes, where they could see but not be observed.
“Look!” exclaimed Tom again. “They’re going to have a conference.”
As he spoke the others could see that the former professor and the old hermit had come to a halt in a place where the path widened. It was in a little glade, and, sitting down beneath the trees, the two men, one of whom had played such a strange part in Tom’s life, and the other, who was destined to, proceeded to talk earnestly.
What they said could not be heard, but it was evident that it was some subject that interested them both, for they held their heads close together as if afraid of being overheard. They little realized that they were being watched.
“What are they doing now?” asked Dick.
“The old hermit has some sort of a paper,” said Tom.
“And he’s showing it to Mr. Skeel,” added Bert.
“Maybe it’s some sort of map to tell where the treasure is,” suggested Dick.
“But why would he be showing it to our old professor?” asked Tom. “If he wants to keep it a secret why is he giving it away like that?”
“Hard to say,” commented Jack. “I think, though——”