WITH SKINNY LEADING, WE STARTED, DODGING FROM TREE TO TREE.
"Follow me," said he. "Keep behind the trees until we get out of the forest, and mum's the word!"
So, with Skinny leading, we started, dodging from tree to tree on the hillside, until we came to the orchard fence. After that there were no trees except on the very top.
There is a sort of road leading out of the orchard and winding around the hill, where the walking is easy, but on that side Bob's Hill itself rises almost straight up from the orchards, and the slope is covered with slippery grass, with now and then a big stone sticking its nose out of the ground. To climb it you have to dig in with the sides and heels of your shoes and work hard.
Skinny started straight up and we after him, except Bill, who can climb faster than anybody. He soon was ahead.
As Bill neared the top, forgetting all about danger, Skinny gave a warning hiss. Bill looked back; then dropped to the ground and began to crawl slowly up, pulling at the grass and stones to help him along. The rest of us waited to see what would happen to Bill.
In a few minutes we saw him stick his head up carefully above the brow of the hill. Then he dodged down out of sight and slid back part way toward us, motioning for us to come on and not to make any noise.
I didn't know what to think of it, for I hadn't really supposed anybody would be there. Skinny is 'most always careful that way because, he says, you never can tell what may happen.
"Gee!" said he, when Bill motioned. "Didn't I tell you they pretty near had me surrounded? Steady now, and mum's the word!"
Slowly we crawled up toward Bill. When we had come up even with him, without a word he crept toward the top of the hill, we crawling along after him, and my heart was pounding like a trip-hammer, partly from the work of climbing and partly because it was scary.