“I’m listening.”
“Have ye obsarved anything ’tickler?”
Uncertain what was meant, the youth replied:
“I can’t say that I have: what do you mean?”
“Ye carry a telescope by a cord round your neck; ’spose ye use it.”
Still in doubt, Alden brought the binocular round in front, and held it suspended with one hand.
“In what direction shall I look?”
“Anywhar ye choose, but thar’s no need of wastin’ time; p’int it ahead and a little to the left away from the river.”
The lad raised the instrument and scanned a fourth of the horizon to the right and left. At first he saw only the broad, level sweep of plain, and was about to say so, when something caught his eye. What seemed to be a half dozen or more specks flickered on the horizon, but even with the aid of the glass he could not make them out clearly and at first was in doubt.