“Yes; we three fellows alone, unless you will go with us. But you mustn’t think we are afraid of him. If he is such a terrible man, what’s the reason he took to his heels the minute he saw the muzzle of Art’s gun looking him in the face?”
“Most any body would run under them circumstances if he thought he had the ghost of a chance,” replied Mr. Swan. “You had the drop on him.”
“But we didn’t have the drop on him last night when we were asleep, did we? If he was so sure that money was in our camp, what’s the reason he didn’t come and get it after dark? He was afraid to try it.”
“Most likely he was,” answered the guide. “Well, if you’re bound to go, I’d like to have you with me so’t I can sorter keep an eye on you. Let’s go and get your skiff. I put it in one of the boathouses under cover.”
“But we want to make complaint against Matt,” said Joe.
“Why not wait till he has been arrested for stealing them guns and that canoe, and then make it? You will save at least four days by it, and by that time Matt may be took up and you and me have no hand in it. We kinder thought him and his crowd had skipped the country, because we ain’t seen none of ’em lately; but the boys will be surprised, and mad too, when they hear what he done in your camp.”
While the guide was talking in this way he led the boys along the beach toward the boathouse in which he had placed their skiff for safekeeping. To put it into the water, take the provisions out of the camp-baskets and stow them in the lockers, ship the oars and return to the place where Mr. Swan had left his canoe, was but a few minutes’ work. When the latter shoved off from the beach the two boats moved side by side, I occupying my usual place on the stern locker.
“There’s one question that has been running in my mind ever since I heard your story, and which I ain’t been able to answer yet,” observed the guide, as the boys slackened their pace so that the canoe could keep up. “What made Matt Coyle think that you boys had the money in your possession, and how did he know where to find you? It looks to me as though somebody had posted him in regard to your movements, and if Tom Bigden had been in your company since you came here I should say that he was the chap. Do you suspicion him?”
Arthur and Roy looked at Joe as if to say: “What do you think of it now?” and the latter replied:
“I don’t know whether to suspect him or not.”