“There never were any films,” grinned Clay. “You know the bargain. Now, run along to the boat and get your breakfast. No films, remember!”
Alex hastened away and Clay sat for a long time watching the flames eating into the log, then the dog sprang up with a bristling back and gave warning of some one or something creeping through the trees.
CHAPTER X.—A RABBIT AND A SECRET MEETING.
“What is it, Captain Joe?” Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees. “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub. Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
He saw a human figure moving about, a tall figure bending low and parting the bushes to look out upon the burning log. The description Alex had given of the man who had pursued him around the angle of rock at the campfire near the pass at once came to the mind of the boy.
Clay moved away, so that one looking into the space where the log lay would not be able to see him, whistled softly to the dog, and waited. Captain Joe retreated with a growl of defiance and crouched down at the boy’s feet, still keeping his eyes on the thicket straight ahead.
The intruder had evidently not seen nor heard the dog, and had no idea that he was watched, for he pushed the bushes aside and stepped into the opening. There he stood, a figure massive and muscular, looking curiously at the burning log for some moments.
Clay observed that he limped slightly as he walked, and noted, too, that his hands hung almost to his knees when dropped to his sides. The face was masterful and intelligent. The fellow was evidently the same who had been shot by the brakeman on the Canadian Pacific train.
“Now,” thought the boy, “how the Old Harry did he get here? And why is he here? It certainly looks as if we had been followed from the pass by this chap.”