“You don’t suppose they’re train robbers, do you?” asked Steve, rather excitedly. “I have heard,” he continued, “that train robbers and other criminals come here to hide away from officers of the law.”
“I’ve been guessing about them ever since they were here,” Ben replied.
“If I thought they were train robbers,” Dick put in, “I’d take a jump for the nearest railroad without waiting for daylight! If you want to scare me stiff, just mention train robbers or grizzly bears! After those fellows left our tent yesterday, I was so frightened that I couldn’t eat more than half a supper. Honest,” he continued, “if I had seen this bear come tumbling down the slope, I would have let out a yell that would have alarmed the people at Spokane!”
“You’re a great coward, if we leave it to you,” laughed Joe.
Dick grunted and applied himself with greater energy to the bear steak.
After the men had eaten their fill Dick moved over to the machines. He stood for some moments by the Ann without touching her and then walked back to the fire. His companions looked at him inquiringly.
“That’s a pretty good machine you have there,” he said. “Did you bring it over the mountains?”
“Yes,” answered Ben, “we brought in three aeroplanes. Two of our boys are out now with the third one.”
“That’s a fact,” Dick exclaimed as the clamor of motors came through the still air. “And they’re doing a pretty good job, flying in the night, at that! Looks as if they understood the game!”
The Louise lifted above the spot where the colored lights had been displayed and whirled straight across the valley.