Considering the fact that neither of the two Service men could boast of having graduated from the school of born scouts, and that their education along the line of the crafty pioneers was a bit off-color, it was simply wonderful how successfully they managed to creep into the thickest of the surrounding heavy growth without making any noticeable noise to betray the fact of their passage.
When Jack fancied they had covered sufficient ground he gave Perk a signal with his foot—an old trick with the well paired couple that they had worked to advantage on numerous occasions.
Thereupon, when Jack halted his snake-like progress, the other glided alongside; and thus they lay so close together that if necessary they could exchange a few words in whispers, although most likely Jack would forego this privilege.
The sound of conversation had grown much louder, accompanied by the swishing of bushes, as two or more persons continued to follow some sort of narrow path undoubtedly leading to this wonderful little rivulet.
Now the speakers must have reached their goal, for the voices were stilled, as though the men might be lying flat, and quenching their thirst in something purer than the poor stuff with which they were probably wont to seek the much desired kick.
Both of the hidden intruders strained their ears in hopes of making out what was being said, and thus possibly acquiring a little useful information; but the men spoke in such muffled tones this expectation failed to materialize—the deep, rumbling tones of one, and higher and shrill voice of the other, accompanied by occasional laughs, kept on for at least ten minutes; then from the sounds growing fainter Jack and Perk understood the two men must be going back the way they had come; from which fact they judged the opening into the closed valley must lie in that quarter, almost due north-by-east from their present refuge.
“Dog gone it! an’ I ain’t wise to a single thing they was a sayin’,” Perk lamented, half under his breath, after they could no longer catch the faintest sign of the pair who had been so near them.
“Same here,” added Jack, “which was too bad, for we might have picked up a little useful information while they talked and laughed.”
“Gee! I strained my hearin’ so hard it near cracked my ear-drums, I bet,” continued Perk, with a shake of his head; “but it was all rumble an’ squeak, mixed in a mess. I shore never did hear so high-pitched a voice on a man in all my born days.”
“Well, I have; and if you’ll think back some you’ll remember just one occasion in the bargain—both of us remarked it as a queer kind of a voice—particularly for a big, bold fellow, who scorned to show a sign of weakness even when hemmed in, and taken prisoner by a couple of fresh Secret Service detectives, belonging to the Flying Corps.”