"What do you suppose they are after?" asked Phil, in a low voice.
"Hush! We'll watch them and see," returned Dave.
"Let us pretend to be asleep," advised Roger. "But lie so you can keep an eye on them."
The boys had been crouching low, but now all followed the advice of the senator's son and fell back, as if in slumber. Then they rolled over and, with their hands on their weapons, watched the approach of the others.
At last Merwell and Haskers were within fifty feet of those around the dying campfire. They had been talking in a low voice, but now both were silent, as if this had been agreed upon. Merwell was slightly in advance and he pointed to the outfit of the Morr crowd. This lay between some rocks and covered with a rubber cloth, so that the eatables might not be spoiled by the weather.
Job Haskers nodded, to show that he understood, and both of the intruders tiptoed their way towards the stores. Noiselessly they raised the rubber cover and placed it on the ground. Then both commenced to pack the stores in the cloth.
It was plainly to be seen now what the rascals meant to do. They were going to make off with our friends' stores, thereby perhaps making it necessary for them to give up the hunt for the mine and go back to the nearest place where more stores could be procured. For among those barren rocks but little could be found for the mine-hunters to eat. They might get a shot at some wild beast, but that was all.
"What shall we do?" whispered Phil, who was growing impatient watching proceedings.
"When I give the signal, jump up and cover them with your pistols," replied Roger.
"Oh, I wouldn't shoot them," urged Dave, who dreaded to think of bloodshed under any circumstances.