"Gee, but I'm glad to see you, Slats," Bob cried.
"An' I'm glad ter get ter the party on time," Slats grinned.
At that instant the sound of a shot far off in the forest made them turn their heads and when they turned them back Red Hains was gone.
"What the——" Slats began and then stopped short. "Now, what do yer know about that?" he finished sheepishly. "Whar did that skunk get to?"
"How could a man disappear as quickly as that?" Bob gasped.
"Well, I reckon mebbe it's good riddance ter bad rubbish, as the sayin' is. We'd a had a sweet time gettin' of him in. But who's this feller?"
"In a few words Bob told him Royce's story and the sympathies of the man were at once engaged.
"Sure, we'll look out for him. Don't yer fret, young feller. If yer want ter go straight, you're goin' ter get a chance an' don't yer fergit it. But I plumb fergot sumpin'." And he pulled out his gun and fired three shots in rapid succession into the air.
"The boys been out huntin' fer yer all night and that's the signal if yer was found," he explained.
"It's too bad," Bob told him. "I ought to have known better than to have attempted it. But how far am I from the trail?"