“Now, boys,” he said, sharply, “on as fast as you can. How far is it from here?”
“About two hours’ walk,” I said.
“Then we shall not be back much before dusk; so best leg foremost.”
It was quite the two hours before we got to the spot where the tree was blazed, and Mr Raydon’s keen eyes detected the sign long before we were abreast of it.
“Your mark to show the spot, eh?” he said. “Very ingenious. It would have deceived me. Now wait a few minutes.”
He walked forward for a few hundred yards, and then returned.
“No one has been along here,” he said. “There is not a footmark. Now then; to work.”
He stood his rifle against a tree, stripped off his boots and stockings, and signed to me to do the same.
“You, my lad,” he said to Esau, “keep watch by my rifle, and at the slightest sign or sound give me warning. Now then, Gordon, in with you and use the shovel.”
I stepped into the stream, where it was shallow, and in obedience to his instructions plied the tool, and threw three or four spadefuls into the shallow wooden basket, which he held down then in the running water, and rapidly agitated, giving it a curious circular motion, and letting the light sand run with the water over the side. Then he stopped from time to time to pick out stones.