"I firmly believe that once we withdraw from this same old shack the woman will steal back of her own free will."
"To get her precious old comb, mebbe," sneered Red.
"To recover something which I guess she values above ten thousand combs," and Elmer as he spoke held up the string of beads forming the rosary.
"In her hurry to get away she must have forgotten all about this. But I warrant you, fellows, she's discovered the loss by now. What follows? She makes up her mind that she's just got to return and find it, if so be we haven't taken it from that nail where it was hanging when we came in."
"Good! You've got things down just pat, Elmer. And then what?" asked Matty.
"I expect to hide near by while the rest of you go noisily away. She can't know how many came, and she'll think all have departed. Then, when she comes in I'll make her a prisoner. Perhaps they'll be glad to exchange Nat for their woman. Or else, if we can make her understand that we're only toy soldiers, and mean the men no harm, she will lead us to their hide-out."
The scouts were listening attentively, as they always did when Elmer was talking. He possessed such a fund of interesting information that they knew full well they could learn many useful things by trying to grasp the ideas he advanced.