“Just decided that I’ll go with you fellows. If there’s goin’t to be fightin’, and I think there is, I want to be in it. Besides, you won’t be safe wanderin’ around through strange country alone. I’ll see that you get where you want to go in safety, and mebbe you’ll find that a little bit of extra help won’t come in amiss? Do you want me to come?” concluded King.
The light of battle was in the old man’s eyes, and Garry at once decided that he might prove a valuable ally in case trouble arose and welcomed him to come with them.
“We’ll take a little different way back, so we won’t be liable to run into any of that gang from the camp. We’ll go until you fellows get tired, then eat, and you can roll in while I watch for you.”
This was what they wanted to do, and so they agreed to follow his advice entirely on the return trip.
“What about some of the men coming to your place to see if we are all right, or if they bring Dick with them, what then?” questioned Garry.
“In case any o’ them come here from now on, they’ll get a treat they won’t like. I told my men to seize anyone who came, and if the fat boy comes, he is to be guided to a place where me and my men know, and then he can join us,” answered King.
The squatter seemed to have covered everything necessary, and off started the quartet. King led them on a roundabout trail, and they walked until darkness fell, when Howells declared that he would like to rest.
For fear of possible detection by some prowler from the camp, no fire was built, and a cold bite was eaten. King refused to let any of the others do any work, and himself gathered enough boughs for them all to sleep on. Garry insisted that when King had watched for a while, he waken either himself or Phil, and they could provide a relief for a while. King protested that he was able to watch the entire night, but Garry reminded him that on the coming day there might be strenuous work, and he would not want to be handicapped by fatigue. This finally made the old man agree to waken Garry at midnight and let him stand a watch.
True to his word, King shook Garry about midnight.
“Don’t believe there’s any real need o’ watchin’, everything been quiet so far; but there’s nothin’ like bein’ on the safe side.”