"Are you sure of it?" asked Frank, in the same low voice.
"Why, try for yourself, and see if you can't get a whiff of smoke right now," Bob replied.
"You're right, because I caught it just then; but I reckon the wind must be changing some, for it's gone again," Frank remarked.
"You never spoke truer words, Frank, because I can hear the breeze beginning to shake the leaves in the trees up yonder, and it wasn't doing that before."
Bob pointed upwards as he said this cautiously. And Frank, always watchful, noticed a certain fact. The trees were so situated that they could be said to lie almost in a direct Southeast line from where he and Bob stood! This might appear to be a very small matter, and hardly worthy of notice; but according to Frank's view it was apt to prove of considerable moment, in view of what was likely to follow.
"Well, as the smoke's gone again, let's see if we can locate it by moving a little this way," and Frank led off as he spoke, with Bob following.
Both lads were very cautious now. Even Bob, greenhorn as he was, so far as Western ways were concerned, understood the need of care when approaching a camp that might be occupied by enemies. And as for Frank, he had not been in the company of an old ranger like Hank Coombs many times without learning considerable.
They had not been moving in the new direction more than five minutes when Bob reached out his hand and clutched the sleeve of his chum's jacket.
"What is it?" asked the leader, stopping short, and crouching there.
"I got it again, Frank," whispered the Kentucky boy, eagerly.