He was extremely careful to blaze his trail so that there could be no mistake in following it back. At the same time Tad had learned to look about him to make sure that no other blazes cut into his trail. To be side-tracked into a strange trail now would be a tragedy, indeed. He trailed the ponies unerringly, and found them much sooner than he had hoped. The little animals were grazing in a dell about a mile from camp.
Tad secured them without difficulty and started back to camp with them. Stacy was in a worry over his companion's long absence. The fat boy, without the resourceful Tad, would have been helpless, and it is probable that in such circumstances Chunky would have starved to death, to him the most terrible death a human being could have.
"Now, Chunky," asked Butler, "do you see that mountain yonder?"
"Yes. It's a high one, isn't it?"
"Yes. I am going up there."
"What for?"
"To spend the day signaling. The question is, do you want to stay here and watch the camp, or do you—"
"What! Stay here alone? I guess not. No, sir!"
"I was in hopes you would be willing to do that. You don't want to spend the rest of your life up here, do you?"
"I should think not."