“That’s the kind of a guess I’d make,” said Bob. “By following the path, though, we don’t want to forget that they got into trouble. When you’re on a road that leads to trouble, Dick, you’ve either got to leave it or else be mighty careful.”
“I don’t know how we’d get through this jungle if we didn’t follow the path. Tirzal claims to know the country. If that’s a fact, then it’s queer he couldn’t pilot Jordan and Speake around any stray groups of insurrectos.”
“Our failure to see anything of the schooner while we were off the coast, or anything of a launch from the schooner while we were coming up the river, rather gave Jordan the idea that Fingal and Cassidy were on the wrong track. But I’m inclined to think Jordan was wide of his trail. They must have sent word here and enabled the revolutionists to fix up some sort of a trap.”
“I can’t begin to tell you how surprised I am at the way Cassidy is acting—that is, if he’s gone into partnership with Fingal, for the purpose of backcapping our plans to save one of our own countrymen. What sort of a two-faced rascal is Cassidy, anyhow? He must be mighty sore to act like that. But maybe you’re mistaken, Bob.”
“I hope I am,” returned Bob gravely. “I always liked Cassidy, and I hate to see a good man go wrong in such a way as that.”
The boys had dropped their voices to an undertone. While they talked, they hurried along the dim, winding path, keeping their eyes constantly ahead.
Owing to the close growth of trees, but very little sun filtered to the ground below, and a twilight gloom hovered over the narrow way. Bob was in advance, and suddenly he halted, whirled on Dick and pulled him behind a matted vine that hung from a tree beside the path.
“Hist!” whispered Bob, in his chum’s ear. “I can hear voices around the turn in the path ahead. Some one is coming this way. Crouch down and perhaps they’ll go past without seeing us.”
Scarcely breathing, the two boys knelt behind the matted vine, each holding his weapon ready in case they should be discovered and compelled to fight for their freedom.
It was not long before the men whom Bob had heard came straggling around the turn in the path. To their amazement, no less a person than Fingal was at the head of the column. The light was none too good for making observations at a distance, but there could be no mistaking the burly form in the dingy blue cap and coat and dungaree trousers.