“That’s a human being,” decided the hunter. “No animal would be as clumsy as that in making an approach.”
He waited, with his rifle ready.
“If it’s some one coming to rescue Stoneham they’ll get a warm reception,” he whispered to himself.
The noise came nearer. Then the bushes off to the left parted cautiously, and Broswick heard a soft whisper:
“Hey, Bill! Hey, Jack! Where are you?”
“It’s that Noddy Nixon chap,” Broswick muttered. “He must have come back in his automobile after the deputy sheriff released him at sundown. Now I wonder what I’d better do?”
“Hey, Bill!” Noddy called, in a little louder whisper, “can you sneak away? I have the machine ready.”
This time a movement near where Bill Berry and Pender were lying told that they had heard the summons. Broswick silently drew back into the shadows and waited to see what would happen. He did not think it necessary to arouse the others yet.
Berry rose to his feet and peered about him. Jack followed. They were trying to locate Noddy’s whereabouts.
“Here I am!” whispered Noddy. “Right by the oak tree.”