The twenty minutes seemed a long time to the boys who were waiting in the camp. They were all eagerly interested in the game which was before them, for on other nights they had sat around the campfire talking and singing until it was time to go to bed. There was the thrill of the unusual and the challenge of a combat in this, and they were enjoying it to the utmost, impatient to get into action.
“Time is up,” announced Ted, putting his watch away and getting up from the log upon which he was sitting.
They immediately started off in the direction taken by the other squad, in pairs, with swinging lanterns which had just been lighted. Ted had with him the small boy, deeming it wise to see to it that the small boy was not entrusted to the care of any one who was not likely to be too careful of him. The little fellow was developing under the camp life and Ted felt a great deal of fondness for him.
They soon left the camp back of them and arriving at the foot of the mountain, began the climb. They spread out in fan shape as they continued, busily watching their step in front of them and for a sign of a light between the trees. Sticks and small stones were avoided so that noise did not betray them.
The woods were profoundly still, so much so that no one would have believed that twenty active boys were hunting each other. Ted and Tom crept steadily forward, keeping the lamp low and peering into the thickets.
“Not a sign of them yet,” Ted began, when the small boy touched his arm.
“Look down that way, to your left!”
Ted obeyed, and saw at some yards distance the gleam of a light. It was behind a tall and pointed rock, and he motioned to his companion to follow as they crept toward it, keeping their own light in back of them so that scarcely a beam from it showed before them.
Ted halted and whispered to the small boy. “You slip around in front of the rock and I’ll drop on them from the rear. If they try to get away from me you just touch the fellow with the lantern. Don’t make any noise.”
As noiselessly as possible Tom slipped away around the lower side of the rock and Ted went around the higher side, his lantern held far to one side so that the beams would not show. Cautiously he peered over the top and the sight pleased him. Bob Gilmore and another boy were standing there, crouching in the shelter of the big stone, listening and trying to cover up the lantern beams.