The real work of following the trail was falling upon Elmer and his companion, the tall, angular fellow known among his mates as Lil Artha.
In carrying out the purpose of the game they were to do all the reading of the signs, and leave a plain track for those who came after. But the two detachments of scouts were expected to pick up as much knowledge concerning the methods used as they could.
Besides this, they must read the messages left occasionally by their pathfinder.
For quite some time the boys scurried along. More than once they had to quicken their pace to what Matty called a "dog-trot." This happened especially when the "signs" were very plain.
"Why all this haste?" asked Landy, who seemed to be puffing a little, because of his being rather a stout boy, and not very well up in athletics.
"Because we want to gain on Elmer when we have the chance," replied the leader.
"But look here, Matty," said Landy, "do you mean to tell me Elmer is getting along about as fast as we've been doing, when he has a blind trail to follow, and we have a plain one?"
"Looks like it, don't it?" exclaimed Red.
"But how under the sun does he do it?" pursued the doubting greenhorn.
"Well," Matty went on, "Elmer lived in Canada, away up where our blizzards come from. He used to ride a wild broncho, throw a rope, hunt antelope and wolves, and was once in at the death of a big grizzly bear that had been playing hob with their cattle."