"I thought I'd maybe better watch the bridge over yon bit creek."
Foster frowned. It looked as if he had not much talent for detective work and could only concentrate upon one point at a time. While he had been content to watch what was going on at the hotel, Pete had watched the bridge, and had found out something. Foster admitted that such success as he had had was rather due to luck than ability.
"Well," he said, "what did you see there?"
"To begin with, the man we followed cam' doon the street and went into a shop; and I allooed they might keep something I wanted. He bought a basket."
"A basket?"
"Just that," said Pete. "One o' they cheap baskets ye put grosseries in when ye gang by train."
Foster nodded. On Canadian railways, economical second-class passengers often carry provisions instead of using the meal stations.
"He bought some tinned meat and biscuits," Pete resumed. "Then some tea and a wee spirit-stove."
"There's no train until to-morrow and I imagine the fellow wouldn't be satisfied with canned meat, so long as he could get something better when the cars stopped."
Pete grinned. "I'm no' saying he meant to tak' the train. It looked mair like he was going to picnic in the woods."