“Na, I dinna think so. The beastie is satisfied to see us go around and leave him in possession. He is nae lookin’ after the likes o’ us just noo. But I hae another trouble facin’ me.”
“You mean finding the trail again, don’t you, Donald?” asked Rob.
“Just so,” came the reply. “I know the general direction we must be goin’ till we reach the railway, but it wud be so much better if we were able to continue alang the path.”
“We turned off to the right,” said the observing scout master, “and so it is bound to lie over on our left. You could tell when you struck it, I suppose, Donald?”
“Oh! ay, if on’y I could see,” the pilot assured him.
“Well, we’ll soon fix that part of it easy enough,” remarked Rob, and once more he had recourse to his invaluable vest pocket edition of a hand torch.
He and Donald walked side by side, using their eyes to the best advantage as they slowly advanced. Rob, being a clever woodsman, could pick out a trail that had been frequently used by passing human beings and animals, even though he may never have previously set eyes on the spot himself. As for Donald, surely he ought to be able to equal the cousin scout from over the border, for he was quite at home in these Canadian woods.
Andy, not being able to assist, was well contented to follow after those in the lead, and let them shoulder all the responsibility. Andy had a little weakness in this direction, which sometimes cropped up; and many boys are apt to think it a good thing when they can get some one else to assume all the care, while on their part they go “scot free.”
Tubby was beginning to worry. He fancied they might have “rough sledding” ahead of them. Why, this even began to look a little as though they were getting lost; at any rate, the trail was lost, which amounted to nearly the same thing. So Tubby was feeling that queer sensation again in the region of his heart, which had begun to pump doubly fast. Tubby’s naturally timorous nature had never been fully conquered, and there were plenty of occasions when it gave him much trouble. He feared lest he might be disgraced in the eyes of his chums by appearing a coward, something he sincerely detested.
Several precious minutes passed. In vain did Tubby listen to hear either of the trail hunters declare that their efforts had met with success.