Mac felt that he had a victory in capturing the jug, but it would have been far better if he had stayed in camp, for the boy was on his way home to tell his father that he had been seen and probably recognized.
Hopwood could easily have caught the boy for Mac. After his meeting with Scott he had headed straight for the works to see if the men had been taken in out of harm’s way. He had been close enough to hear the crashing of the brush and the boy had passed within a few feet of him. But what would have been the use? They could not do anything with the boy after they had caught him, and it did not fit into his own plans to line up openly against his family just yet.
He followed Mac almost to camp to make sure that all the men were in, but he did not go in himself. He turned into the brush without making his presence known to Mac at all. A half hour later he turned in at the gate of Jarred Morgan’s cottage.
When Hopwood entered the cabin old Jarred sprang from his chair with the agility of a cat.
“You fooled me that time, Hopwood,” he admitted frankly. “It is a long time since I have seen you without that iron hat. What is the meaning of it? Is the feud ended, then?” he asked with a wry smile.
Hopwood cast a quick glance around the cabin.
Jarred answered the unspoken question. “She went out to the orchard.”
“No,” Hopwood said soberly, “the feud is not exactly ended, but I think I am beginning to see the end of it.”
“You think I am going to cash in, do you?”
“I am hoping that it will not end that way,” Hopwood replied earnestly.