The concealed runaway, who had taken care to leave a little opening among the quilts, so that he could hear all that was said, trembled violently as the familiar tones fell upon his ear.
It was the hunter, sure enough. He held his breath in suspense, while he waited for the emigrant's reply.
"Nary boy," drawled the man. "There aint nobody passed this camp since sundown last night."
"Then he must have left the trail and taken to the grass," said Eben. "I've missed him somewhere, but I'll find him if I have to hunt the whole country over."
"Has he been a-doing of anything?"
"I should say he had. He stole over three hundred dollars out of my saddle-bags early this morning."
The exclamations this statement called forth from the emigrant and his wife made Frank tremble again.
What if they should take it into their heads to believe Eben's story instead of his own? The emigrant's next words, however, put him somewhat at his ease.
"Well, I aint seen him go past here," said he. "What do you reckon you'll do with him if you ketch him?"