“Saw what, sir?”
“Oh, golly gumptions! De ugliest lilly face wid black whiskers an’ eyes dat I ebber seed. It was lookin’ frough de bushes an’ listening to you alls.”
“Where? Show me the place at once.”
The major’s tone was curt and fraught with a deeper meaning.
“Right hyah, sah, majah. Right hyah, dis am whar I seen dat homely lilly face. Yas sah.”
But although they made a thorough search of the vicinity no trace of a concealed listener could be found.
“I’d be half-inclined to put it down to Jumbo’s foolishness if it wasn’t that we know we have enemies in the mountains,” said the major, after supper that night.
“But as it is, sir?” asked Rob.
“As it is,” replied the major, “I think we had better keep a sharp look out and ‘Be Prepared.’ Jumbo’s description of that face seems to tally pretty closely with the countenance of Black Bart.”
“Just what I think,” rejoined Rob; “if he hadn’t got so frightened Jumbo might have secured that five hundred dollars after all.”