"Not much chance of their being as foolish as that. I guess they know searching parties are out all over by this time, and they are too foxy to light fires."
"I might have thought of that," admitted Jimsy; "it would be about the last thing they would do. What will we do now?"
"I hardly know. Hello! there's an odd-looking place. Right over there. See that deep cañon? That one with the fallen tree across it?"
"Yes, I do now. Let's look over there."
"All right. You're on."
The two boys struck off in the direction of Roy's discovery. It was indeed an odd freak of nature. Some convulsion of the earth had detached quite a section of land from the surrounding country. It was, in fact, an island in the midst of the woods with only the fallen tree for a bridge.
"Let's cross it and examine the place," suggested Roy, with all a boy's curiosity.
Together they crossed the old tree, which had evidently fallen there by accident, although, in reality, it formed a perfect bridge. The "island" was thickly wooded and they pushed forward across it, not without some difficulty.
Suddenly they came upon a sight that made them halt dead in their tracks.
A man holding a rifle was sitting on a fallen log. The instant he saw them he raised his weapon.