“Then we shall never be able to get away,” said Perry despondently.
“Must, my lad. Why, we’re not going to let a pack of half-savage Indians prove too clever for us. What are you thinking about? There, let’s get back at once, or they’ll be thinking we mean something by sitting here.”
Perry rose and followed his companion, who made several halts in the forest before they reached the shelter-hut, to find the colonel and John Manning away; but they returned soon after, each carrying a couple of good-sized birds, which gave a colour to their morning’s walk.
This game John Manning bore off to prepare by the fire which Diego and his companion kept going night and day; and as soon as he had gone, the colonel seated himself, and looked curiously from one boy to the other.
“Well Cyril,” he said sharply, “ready to go home and meet your father?”
“Yes, sir,” replied the boy promptly. “I want to get it over.”
“And you, Perry, ready to go back to where you can sleep in a decent bed again?”
“Yes, father,” replied Perry; but there was a dubious tone to his words.
“That’s right. Listen, then, both of you. I trust to you to make no sign whatever, but to go on precisely the same as usual, so as to keep the Indians in ignorance of our intentions.”
“Then you are going to make a start, sir?” said Cyril eagerly.