"Then Toby is really the only one out of the secret?" Owen went on to say.
"Yes. And there's no use telling him—yet. Time enough to-night when we spring the trap. But I'm off now, after Bandy-legs. So long, Owen."
"Be mighty careful about that coin purse," warned the one who was to stay in camp during the afternoon. "It would give me a big pain if you let it drop out of your pocket while you were wading in the river."
"Can't. I've fastened the pocket up snug with a big safety pin," chuckled
Max.
He soon caught up with Bandy-legs, who was following the now plainly marked trail that stretched through the forest between the river and the camp.
Arriving at the water's edge Max soon decided that it might pay them to work a little lower downstream.
So both removed most of their clothes and started to tread for the mussels that lay concealed in the mud or sand of the river's bed.
Max was very careful to make sure that the little coin purse was safely pinned inside his shirt. He would not have risked leaving that ashore for a good deal.
An hour passed.
"I see you've picked up quite a little load," remarked Max, as the two pearl hunters happened to come close together while continuing their work.