Garry gave the matter several minutes’ thought, and then the idea occurred to him. He could disable the canoe by puncturing the innumerable “eyes” that are frequent in birch bark—the little places where a branch would later pierce though.
Hastily he took his pocket knife, one of the Scout knives that was equipped with several tools, among them being a sharp instrument that could be used as a brad awl.
Working speedily, he plunged it through all the eyes he could find. This would cause the canoe to leak, and make it useless as a craft. There is only one way to fix this, and that is one that requires a great deal of time. It consists of making a slashwise cut in the bark through the “eye” and sealing this down with hot pitch. The damage that Garry had done would take a good while to repair properly, and if it was LeBlanc’s canoe, it might hinder him in making an escape at some time.
The easy manner in which he found LeBlanc’s canoe was a warning to him. He carefully obliterated all traces of having been there, and returned to his canoe. Getting aboard again, he paddled down the river about a hundred yards, till he came to a rocky bank. There he succeeded in bringing his canoe up on to the land, and as the growth was thick here also, had no trouble in finding a perfect place of concealment.
This done, he scrambled through the undergrowth back to the spot where he had first landed. Hitching up his knapsack, and looking to his rifle, he set off into the woods. The track had been laid for some little distance, and piles of ties lay along the track. After a matter of perhaps half a mile, the trackage ceased, and from there on was only a trail marked by the triangular stick such as surveyors use to mark out the particular line that their engineering matter requires.
Garry knew now that extreme caution was required. Provided LeBlanc had come this way, there was every possibility that he might be returning over the same route.
For a matter of two miles Garry walked, peering ahead of him, and straining his ears to catch the slightest sound.
Finally he came to a little natural clearing in the midst of the brush and trees, and saw ashes. Someone has made a campfire there, and not very long ago, either. Woodsmen can always tell within a short time, just how long since a fire has been used. It is almost impossible to describe, and can only be done intuitively or by long practice.
Garry decided that this fire had been built not more than a day ago, and a tin tomato can that had been thrown to one side, had barely corroded from exposure to the elements.
He was on the trail, but where did it lead? And was it made by the quarry he was seeking?