When he had finished the generous meal which Ben had given him he walked out to find Bill. The boy was sitting on the stump waiting patiently. Waiting was one of the best things Bill did.
“You ought to have come with me,” Hopwood said. “The cook gave me a great handout.”
“You can have mine in there,” Bill replied with a wry face. “What did he say about his boss?”
“He said he was out on the works to-day and would be back in camp to-night,” Hopwood lied glibly.
It was enough for the boy to have a satisfactory answer to take home. He did not question the truth of it. “Thanks,” he said, and started back up the mountain.
“Wait a while and I’ll walk up with you,” Hopwood volunteered.
“I gotta be getting home,” the boy said. “He’ll be mad enough now without keeping him waiting any longer.”
Hopwood watched him out of sight in the darkness. “Well, give him that information,” he mumbled maliciously to himself. “It may quiet his nerves.”
CHAPTER XXVI
FOSTER REVIVES THE FEUD
No one knew where Hopwood spent the night. He did not accept Mac’s invitation to stay at the camp, but early morning found him on the road again on his way up to scout around Foster’s cabin. He had an uneasy feeling that something would happen if Foster found out where Scott had gone. He chuckled to think that he probably would not find it out now. He had sounded out Mr. Roberts and found that he did not know.