It looked as if detection was certain, even without the two men shifting their positions in the least.
The lad was lying flat on the ground and so motionless that he might have hoped to escape if special attention were not called to him.
But he felt that if the cattle-drover came over the fence it would be useless to wait a second.
As Bud Heyland spoke he started across the highway, while Cyrus Sutton called out:
"All right!"
As he did so he placed his hand on the top rail of the fence and with one bound leaped over, dropping upon his feet within a few steps of poor Fred Sheldon, who, with every reason for believing he had been seen, sprang to his feet and ran for dear life.