“Just as you say.”
Sandy was really pleased.
“It’s a bargain, then, unless Toma—”
“I like stay here, too,” declared Toma.
The three boys were grouped together, facing each other. For the time being, they were off guard. Not that they had felt at any time during the past few moments that danger really threatened them. Although still fairly close to Meade’s road-house, they weren’t troubled about Burnnel and Emery just then. Even if the two prospectors had seen them when they rode up, it was extremely unlikely that they would attempt anything until they had fully rested. Immediate pursuit was a thing that had not entered the boys’ calculations, and yet—
Dick’s first intimation of an attack, or even of the presence of an enemy, came when he beheld Toma—apparently for no reason at all—leap straight back, like a deer surprised in its forest haunt, and plunge headlong into a willow thicket. Sandy’s behavior was equally puzzling. Sandy sat down. He sat down on the seat he had just vacated and stared wildly past Dick, both eyes and mouth open wide. Whirling about, Dick blinked and caught his breath. A familiar pair confronted him.
“Don’t move,” said a heavy voice. “We got yuh!”
CHAPTER XV
A DESERTED ROAD-HOUSE
Frischette’s road-house was quiet. A casual passer-by, threading his way along the shadowy forest trail, a trail arched by the branches of tall poplar trees, might have thought that the place was deserted. There was no sign of life anywhere, although a door and several windows stood partially open. A young Indian, who approached the familiar landmark, was struck by an overwhelming feeling of presentiment.
The morning was well advanced and yet there was no evidence of life here. No smoke issued from the tall mud-chimney, which rose like a bleak sentinel at one side of the building. Sitting on the projecting end of the center ridge-pole, a hawk basked in the sun. Intense quiet reigned, a funereal silence, that was broken only by the faint rustling of the leaves and the nervous stirring of the tall grass, which encroached up to the door of the cabin itself.