"I'll tell you," replied Paul, readily enough; "but please say nothing to the boys. It may be I'm too suspicious, you see, and I wouldn't like to be called a false alarm. But just think how particular that bunch was to stay back until we
had left town. They claimed they weren't ready; but I chance to know that was all a fake."
"You mean so they might follow, and give us all the trouble they could?" asked Jack, indignantly.
"Just so," Paul went on, in a low voice. "Another thing; they expected to make use of their wheels in coming up here. Ted laughed at the idea of having a tent. True woodsmen, he claimed, never had any need of such a thing, being able to make a good shelter that would shed rain out of leaves and branches."
"But they said they didn't expect to leave until afternoon. That would give us a long lead, Paul," Jack ventured.
"Shucks! what would nine miles be to fellows on wheels? They could just eat up that distance, and not half try," answered his chum.
"But somebody said they meant to take the other road that winds around so, and joins this one ten miles further on. Do you believe that, Paul?"
"I just think that was said to pull the wool over our eyes. Those chaps have started out with the one idea of bothering us all they can," answered the scout leader.
"Now look here; what's the use of beating about the bush like that, Paul? You've got some reason for being so dead sure. You've seen
something, haven't you?" and Jack pressed still closer to the other as he waited for a reply.