“There’s something new,” Jimmie grinned. “I wonder whether that fellow wants bread and beans, or whether he wants to coax one of us away into the woods? Tell him this is our busy day!”
“Are you there, boys?” came the voice from above.
“Hello yourself!” Jimmie called back.
“All right, now,” the voice went on. “All I needed was something to enable me to locate you. I’ll be down there in a minute.”
“That’ll be nice!” Jimmie answered. “If you’ve got a trunk full of trouble, just bring that along with you. We’re in the market for trouble.”
Although the boys made light of the approach of another visitor, they were very anxious. They were certain that Ned had been lured away for some sinister purpose, and were consequently fearful that this new arrival might be connected in some way with future complications.
In a few moments rolling stones and exclamations of impatience announced the near approach of the man who had hailed them. Directly he turned around an angle of rock and came into full view.
He was a short, fat, heavily built man of perhaps thirty, with the pale face and assertive manner of a city dweller. At all events it was plainly evident that he was not familiar with mountain work, for he stumbled about as he advanced down the declivity, and more than once fell to his knee and caught hold of projecting boulders with a pair of hands not at all familiar with such service.
Jack eyed the fellow critically for a moment, and then advanced to meet him with a shout of welcome.
“Gilroy!” he cried. “What the Old Harry are you doing away out in California? Boys,” he continued, turning to his chums, “this is Gilroy, one of Dad’s confidential clerks. Nothing wrong at home, I hope,” he continued addressing the newcomer.