"Stacy, you remain where you are."
"What are you going to do?" demanded the fat boy.
"Take a little look around. Keep your eyes peeled," he warned in a lower tone, intended for Chunky's ears alone.
The fat boy nodded. Stacy was unafraid. In fact he was pleased and he shrewdly suspected that the man before them knew more about the stolen doe than he had told them. He was positive that the stranger was shielding the real thief, and that Tad knew it. "Trust Tad for seeing things," was the fat boy's reasoning.
Butler was seeing things.
"What do you reckon you are going to do?" called the man.
"I want to look about here a bit, that's all. I don't suppose you have any objections?" questioned Tad sarcastically.
"You are a mighty pert young fellow, it strikes me."
Tad did not reply. He was following the trail of a horse to the north of where the horseman was sitting, narrowly watching Tad. In order to do so more fully, the stranger wheeled his mount about.
"Hello!" exclaimed Chunky.