“Pierre sure will give us the devil if we let ’em get away,” said the first. “Can’t blame him. Henderson will skin him alive if these trails aren’t kept clean of Hudson’s Bay men and mounties.”
“I see bush move over d’er!” the Indian ejaculated.
The two men moved off in another direction, and the boys in the hollow tree breathed easier.
“No go yet,” Toma advised. “Wait till all quiet.”
The minutes passed slowly while they waited in their cramped position. The shouts of the searchers grew fainter as they apparently abandoned the chase. Presently all was still. Toma peeped out through the branches covering the entrance to the hollow tree. After looking carefully about, the guide pushed back the branches and stepped out. Dick and Sandy followed. They were learning lessons in woodcraft every hour from this child of the forest.
“I think we ought to go back to the camp, steal up close and see if we can’t learn something of your Uncle Walter, Sandy,” Dick announced.
“Is it worth the risk?” Sandy came back. “Can’t we do better by hurrying on to Fort Dunwoody?”
“It’s true we can’t do much without the aid of the mounted police,” Dick studied. “Yet I’d like to know, if it’s possible, just what has been done with your uncle—how they’re treating him.”
Dick asked Toma what he thought of trying to learn something by eavesdropping. “If you think um best thing do,” Toma replied. “That scar face got best ears of all. He wounded now. Not much good; what say I try?”
“No, you’ve done plenty of this already, Toma,” Dick was firm. “I’ll go this time. You wait here where you can cover me with your guns if I am detected.”