He studied the marks most carefully and by opening out the book he was able to draw the boot tracks life-size, noting that each had three rows of small
hobnails on the heel, apparently put in at home because so irregular, while the sole of the left was worn into a hole. Then he studied the hand tracks, selected the clearest, and was drawing the right [425] hand when something odd caught his attention.
Yes! It appeared in all the impressions of that hand—the middle finger was gone.
Yan followed the track on the road a little way, but at the corner it turned southward and was lost in the grass.
As he was going back to camp he overtook Caleb also returning.
"Mr. Clark," he said. "I went back to sketch those tracks, and do you know—that man had only three fingers on his right hand?"
"Consarn me!" said Caleb. "Are you sure?"
"Come and see for yourself."
Yes! It surely was true, and Caleb on the road back said, "Yan, don't say a word of this to the others just now."